2024-02-03: A Dark Wind Blows
- Log: A Dark Wind Blows
- Cast: Kalisa Dragmire, Eleanor Klein, Lunata Croze, Seraph Lanval, Venetia Vuong, Link, Gwen Whitlock, Ida Everstead-Rey, Shalune Amira
- Where: Adlehyde - Town Center
- Date: February 03, 2024
- Summary: An unusual invitation brings Eleanor Klein and her Drifter allies to Adlehyde to prevent a catastrophe. Instead they are greeted by a stranger claiming allegiance to Ganondorf who challenges them to a fight.
=========================<* Adlehyde - Town Center *>========================= The centre of Adlehyde marks the intersection between the east-west and north-south roads that carve the city into near-quarters. The city has recovered from the attack in 499 PC. Scorch marks are few and far between; many of the large shops are newly constructed, and homes have been thoroughly repaired. Occasionally, though, a building too damaged to be saved can be seen still. The famous red and tile roofs the city have been restored. It is a thriving marketplace once again, and well-patrolled by a rejuvenated military. In the center of the square is a new statue to the late King Justin, commemorating his life (and remembering his tragic loss in the war). This a city with renewed hope, now, at long last. BGM: Wild ARMs - Adlehyde Castle - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iVgQMTFnESE
DC: Seraph Lanval switches forms to Oracle of Schturdark! DC: Shalune Amira switches forms to Girl of Blue Skies! DC: Lunata Croze switches forms to The Girl in Search of Her Own Values! DC: Ida Everstead-Rey switches forms to Gentlewoman Adventurer Ida! DC: Eleanor Klein switches forms to Sage of Light! DC: Venetia Vuong switches forms to Hadal Sorceress Venetia!
<Pose Tracker> An Ordinary Day has posed.
BGM: Castle Town - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6jiw0cHrL0g
It is a bright sunny day in Adlehyde, with nary a cloud in sight. A pleasant breeze sweeps through the city, and the people are out in full force. Newly-opened businesses are advertising their wares, and one advertising an opening day bargain (buy one decorative throw rug, get a second free!) has drawn a particularly large crowd. Repaired homes have drawn the citizens back, and the signs of its former troubles have started becoming far and few between.
But not completely gone, however. Some scorch marks remain, and there are still buildings that are far too damaged to be repaired, that have yet to be torn down to make way for new construction.
There is one such building just off the main intersection in the center of the town square. It is a shell of its former self, with nothing left but burnt wood and lost memories. There is nothing left to loot or salvage, and its presence at the end of a very long list means it will stay undisturbed for quite some time.
A perfect place for something to sit undisturbed.
Debris has been cleared from the middle of the ground floor, and an intricate diagram made of burnt ash drawn in its place. There is power in abeyance here, slowly gathering, building until it reaches a critical peak on this otherwise lovely day.
Something tips over a threshold, and the circle blazes to life with bright red light. The stone floor in the middle starts to glow, first red, and then an increasingly bright white as it starts to crack and bubble.
BGM: Mid-boss Battle (Majora's Mask) - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IIZwKNjE5vQ
The stone floor melts into slag, and then lava, roiling angrily. And soon it starts to take form, a vaguely humanoid figure rising out of the melted stone. First a head, then a great thick body, and two massive arms, rising up and up. Even hunched over as it is, the figure is tall enough to come crashing through the floor of the second story, and then the ceiling. Wood and debris explodes outward in a horrifying rain of splinters, long-dead wood reignited by the searing temperatures of the lava beast.
Thus freed, it lets out a massive roar, and with a great sweeping gesture of its arm tears down the decrepit house around it, shattering more splinters and cinders. There are horrified shouts as the Igneous starts to trudge through the city, smashing everything in its path as the citizens flee before it. There are calls for the guards, but those follow the beast as it begins its rampage.
Back in the shattered remains of the house the summoning circle has fallen dark once more. A gaping maw now rests in the ground, excavated to provide the material for the beast. And as the air cools, a single tattered piece of paper starts to drift downwards in the subsiding updraft.
All of a sudden a spear flies through it, pinning the piece of paper to the ground. The spear is long and forged of a dark metal with gold inlays. Two prongs, asymmetrically sized, jut around the central spear blade.
The note bears a simple message.
"Don't be late."
Beneath it is the address of the twice-ruined home, along with today's date, and a time...
<Pose Tracker> Eleanor Klein has posed.
That is two hours in the future, according to Eleanor Klein. The square in Adelhyde is still clear. She has shared the details of this vision with a small group; to look at her while she explains, she's disturbed. Lingering on the 'note', someone who knew full well that she'd See what was happening...
Burnt wood, lost memories. Eleanor has gathered up a group to see to this vision, and see to it she does. She pushes into the building, using her Power Bracelet to get past some fallen boards, and walks calmly towards the magic circle that even now builds its spectral force. Holding the Book of Mudora, she traces an ancient sigil of reversal into the center, beginning to harmlessly release that power before she steps to the edge of the circle and smudges it. This breaks the lines of power; that which is gathered will simply dissipate.
"That... should do the trick," Eleanor says, rising from her knees to look to the group again. She is dressed today in businesslike attire that is woven with magical thread, jacket enhanced like the finest armor. And she is still troubled, her strange golden eyes distant.
"The spell is undone. There will be no creature to rampage in Adelhyde."
"But..."
She sighs. "How and why it's here in the first place is still a concern. Please be careful, everyone."
"I have a very bad feeling about this..."
All channels have been gagged.
<Pose Tracker> Lunata Croze has posed.
The Starfall Saloon, as it were, is one of the prime establishments for rest and recuperation in Adlehyde, and it is... well. It's just off the main intersection in the centre of the town square, designed to attract weary travelers that've marched through the hot and arid roads of the Adelyn Ranchlands or further beyond.
"Haaaaaa... why me?" Lunata groans as she bravely steps out of a second-story window and climbs out onto the awning, dressed in a maid outfit like she once did long ago, and carrying a long mop with it!
"I just got back here a few days ago and Uncle Tom's already putting me back to my usual chores! It's like nothing's changed at all!"
Grumbling, the white-haired ex-ex-waitress starts scrubbing the windows. "Don't mind me! Just doing a spot of cleaning of your windows, sirs!"
A pause as she stares across the road and squints. "Huh. What's everyone else doing in that vacant building? Heeeey! Eleanor! Guys!" She waves with both hands, hand still on the mop splishing sudsy water everywhere.
You should probably have more care while you're standing on an awning, Lunata.
<Pose Tracker> Seraph Lanval has posed.
When Eleanor is shaken enough she's asking for help, Seraph Lanval - Oracle of Schturdark - is not far behind. The amount of detail involved in that vision is reason enough for him to be ready to bring part of the power of an entire world's water to bear if it comes to it, and from within a bottle he's using to travel incognito* (* by now everyone is aware that any bottle in the world has a chance of having Lanval in it, but he means well) he waits for the sign.
Eleanor deals with the magical circle with expertise and precision.
A sphere of light escapes one such bottle, materializing the from of the metaphorical self-image of Seraph Lanval who sits down at the edge of the circle that got smudged, scratching at his chin.
"Mmm," he muses aloud with one eye open. "Ya would think they wouldn't make it that eashy ta pull apart like that," he says while watching and feeling all that energy dissipate harmlessly from its intended construction and means. As if an act of reassurance, he flicks some more water out to mess with the wholly deactivated circle, also because if you remove a few lines it might look more like a funny smiling face, and this is a situation that calls for one when you want to politely tell a prospective enemy of Filgaia to not do that again.
"Lunata, heyyyy," Lanval calls. Lunata's had quite a journey getting back to Adlehyde and you know what, he's going to make sure this ruined magic circle now looks even funnier so she can have a laugh at it too.
<Pose Tracker> Venetia Vuong has posed.
"I certainly hope so," Venetia says, frowning.
VENETIA VUONG is BASICALLY LIKE ALWAYS. She has recovered from her durance vile in the Energy Nede with no permanent injuries, although the astute would note two modestly-sized spheres that are hung, almost like charms, from the strap of her bag.
What's up with THAT?
"Normally I'd argue with you about the question of probability and temporal causality with you, but I'm already aware you can turn into an owl, and so it seems to be something of a waste of time," Venetia continues, even as Eleanor dissipates the OBVIOUS DIAGRAM, which VENETIA "WORLD'S GREATEST CREST SORCEROR" VUONG immediately recognized as Bad News.
(She had, of course, believed Eleanor immediately, but this is how she keeps herself awake when there's no coffee.)
Her head turns then as she looks towards Lunata, waving to them. From an awning.
Venetia looks back towards Eleanor. "Are we being invited to lunch? I don't know if this is some Adelhyde custom when someone is standing on the thingy."
There are, after all, no awnings in Void 41. What's it gonna do -- thunderstorm?
<Pose Tracker> Link has posed.
What is one suppose to do after a trip to another world and back?! SIDE QUESTS~
Walking around town, talking to the air at his shoulder is one blond haired, green tunic child with a metal shield and ornate sword on his back. The conversation goes roughly like so.
"You think around here is good?" Link asks. A few moments later "Oh, that makes sense yeah." as the boy continues to circle about the town heading back towards the market center a seed in his hand.
"I just dunno. Didn't the Great Deku say islands?". the boy askes the air. A few moments later "Ooooh... Yeah, I guess it is just a really really big island isn't it. It could probably support a few of these too." he responds to something, nodding exicited.
What ever could Link be speaking to? Those who can see them will spot it right away, a Korok hitching a ride on his shoulder! As the young hero approaches where Eleanor is, shifting his attention to her as he pockets the seed and waves at her, the Korok lifts a stick with a maple seed like piece on it and catches a breeze causing it to float up and fly away! "Is this place always so busy? It's bigger than some of the island towns! It's impressive really." he says to Eleanor as he comes to a stop before her.
<Pose Tracker> Gwen Whitlock has posed.
When Gwen makes a promise, she tries her very best to keep it.
That's why Gwen is here with Eleanor Klein, who is the Sage of Light or something that Gwen's not entirely solid on when it comes to the details. However, Ganondorf Dragmire had a certain interest in her, and, through a myriad of interlocking events only Gwen finds meaning in, she feels a duty to try to help and protect Eleanor. ... But really, none of that explicitly matters here; Gwen's got no inkling Ganondorf is connected here. After all, that mess is all the way over in the Aquvy Region, and they're *here*.
They're here, looking at a reminder of darker times in the past, while preventing something in the future! .... which is another reason for Gwen to protect Eleanor, because Eleanor managed to keep her from dying through her visions once.
"Whoever this person was, they knew to include a note that, if this did happen, would've been seen *after* the event." Gwen stands, hands on her hips. "Like, it's 'nough of a coincidence that it could be just that, but if you got a bad feelin', I'm gonna assume the same, Eleanor."
Looking up at Lunata calls, the dour look on Gwen's face immediately brightens like nothing was amiss. "Oh, hey Lunata!" She waves back, and brings her hands to her mouth, projecting it towards where Lunata is standing. "Yeah, we're checkin' somethin' out! Have you noticed anythin' funny-like 'round in the 'mediate area? Like, in the, uh--" She looks to the group briefly for suggestions. "Week, or... month? Magic's not my area of expertise."
She glances towards Venetia. "Y'mean this ain't just a part of magic too? I thought magic was magic, just different ways of doin' the thing y'need to do." have mercy on her, venetia, gwen is a people of the land
<Pose Tracker> Ida Everstead-Rey has posed.
Ida was there at Adlehyde, when it burned. Sometimes, in her nightmares, she's chased through its streets with Dragonfire at her heels. Between that and her close friendship with Eleanor, it would be unthinkable to not be there, today.
The Galadian heiress stands at Eleanor's right flank, her posture dripping wariness. Her gaze darts about the gutted shell of the building, scanning the shadows as Eleanor does her job. However unintentionally, she's wearing the same outfit she first wore when she came here: golden brocade vest, blue jacket, cream slacks, white shirt. The woman wearing them is and is not the same--her body is honed, scarred, hardened. She has endured the crucible of warfare time and time again.
And despite the tension in her, she can't help but notice something.
"Is that Lunata?" The martial artist's manicured brow furrows in thought. "...I'm glad she's gotten the chance to return."
<Pose Tracker> Venetia Vuong has posed.
"And she's already found a job," Venetia says approvingly.
<Pose Tracker> Lunata Croze has posed.
"This is my house!!" Lunata complains, though waving to Lanval and the others. "They're already putting me to work again! Can you believe it??" A pause at Gwen. "No, I haven't seen anything weird recently...?"
<Pose Tracker> Shalune Amira has posed.
It didn't really take long for Shalune to set aside existential angst about whether she now counts as an Adlehydian or a member of the Thames, or whether she should even be here given their flight from it so long ago. Aunt Hilda's cooking will do that. She's even felt bolstered enough to go home - truly home, to the little apartment tucked away down an alley. It's not the most pleasant of homecomings, given that there's nothing there for her but old memories, but she person she is now knows how important those can be.
Right now, she's revelling in being back in Adlehyde - and embracing a newfound role as a food delivery assistant. It turns out that when you have a flying scooter whose maneuverability doesn't really give a damn about inertia and you pair that with an intimate knowledge of the city, you can jet food around remarkably fast, and it's not really that different to the waitressing job she used to do in the Saloon. It's just, you know, airborne. Shalune can handle airborne.
Just like Lunata, she's wearing her old maid uniform as she jets around the streets and rooftops near the Saloon, a blur of pink and black and cheery greetings dopplering past. She couldn't help but think it was a bit of a shame that, despite aging and growing in a way that Lunata hasn't, she still basically fits most of her old clothes - but there's something about being able to pair a nostalgic part of her history with a newfound flair that makes up for it. And maybe she's showing a bit more ankle. Gasp!
She's just finished handing off a little package of food to one of the windows across the street, counting the money she receives in return quickly before tucking it away. "Thank you for your patronage! Please make sure to come visit us in person, this special offer's not gonna be forever!" she chirps happily, before directing a bright grin at Lunata as she floats back over. "Aw, c'mon. It's fun! I've missed this. I'll design you a window-washer."
She mistakes the gathering of Drifters for the general hustle and bustle of the city - they weren't the only ones to return here, after all - and waves brightly as a number of them greet Lunata. "Heeey! Come have lunch at the Saloon!" she calls to Ida and the Seraph nearby, because she learnt from Jay and knows when not to miss a chance. Gwen's question makes her blink instead, and she shares a glance with the other Lunie that flickers into a frown before calling back: "Uh, if you want I can fly up real high and get a birds eye view!"
<Pose Tracker> An Unidentified Figure has posed.
Who would think to spot an ex-waitress on an awning mopping a window? And yet, she calls attention to herself, yelling at Eleanor as she does. She knows her, is friendly enough to shout a warning to her... She's close enough, then.
The Seraphim asks a very good question: why, indeed, would such a thing be so easy to dismantle? Who would go through all this effort to be foiled so easily?
Venetia has a partial truth, when she asks of an invitation: she just got the type wrong.
That's the thing about the world, Gwen. It's getting smaller all the time, and the Drifters aren't the only ones who have done some traveling lately.
Ida gets the benefit of preventing one tragedy this day, at least. But other problems await.
A flying device... that is quite an interesting development, but one that will not be a hindrance here.
And lastly.... two of the people that are of the highest interest. A Korok, such an interesting find, but one that will have to be followed up on later. Green tunic, shield, and ornate sword, in the company of a Korok. Yes, there can be no mistaking him.
And, of course, the one who arrived to stop this 'scheme' to begin with. Very impressive, and to dispatch the summoning circle so easily, with that book...
Just as she'd hoped.
The wind picks up. Unlike the warm pastoral breezes of Adlehyde, this one is dry and hot. It chafes against the skin as it sweeps past the Drifters, and the heat lingers uncomfortably in its wake.
BGM: Ganondorf's Theme (Ocarina of Time) - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yeF5y9OjFUI
"So you received my invitation... Good." comes a new voice. It is young, but firm. A new figure is perched, casually crouching, on the corner of a nearby rooftop. She wasn't there before.
Like she blew in with the wind.
She is dressed in bold red Gerudo armor trimmed in gold, with an asymmetrical red skirt covering some of her legs. Behind her, on either side of her, is a spear: black metal,with gold detailing, and two prongs flanking the long blade.
There is no note, this time.
Bright red hair hangs behind her, secured into a loose ponytail, and she has long pointed ears. She must be young, by her voice and stature, but it's impossible to gauge her exact age.
A pale white mask covers her face, hiding it from view.
With a smooth, practiced motion, she reaches behind her to take hold of her spear, bringing it around to point directly at Eleanor as she rises to her full height.
"Prepare yourself. I am...
... and I will test your resolve!"
BGM: Boss Battle (Ocarina of Time) - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dTqDvaNXri4
Kalisa makes a breathtaking leap high into the sky--a trap for any who look up to follow her trajectory, as her path takes her directly across where the sun is positioned in the sky. At that exact moment she eclipses the sun she vanishes in a flicker of dark purple and black, and reappears directly above Eleanor, stabbing down with her spear. "Let's see your might, Sage!"
She vanishes with another flicker and this time appears right in front of Link, driving her spear at him head-on. "Can you sword best my spear, Hero?"
The two names are practically dripping with malice.
Kalisa flips backwards next, into the center of the group of assembled Drifters. She lands neatly, spear braced with one arm against her back, the other extended forward, as if readying herself or an onslaught as she looks around at the assembled fighters.
Or maybe she's inviting their attack.
But she's not about to wait for them to come to her. "And for the rest of you Drifters..." She raises her spear high in the air above her at the same time as her shadow on the ground briefly expands outwards. She plunges her spear into the shadow, somehow finding depth where only dirt should be. "... show me your best!"
Everyone else not greeted by name has their shadows expand just briefly, and purple-tinged copies of her spear suddenly shoot out of their shadows to attack them from below.
DC: You switch forms to Kalisa Dragmire ~ The Phantom Blade ~! DC: Kalisa Dragmire switches forms to Kalisa Dragmire ~ The Phantom Blade ~!
GS: Kalisa Dragmire has attacked Kalisa Dragmire with Dark Scirocco! GS: Kalisa Dragmire has gained 1 Combo! GS: Kalisa Dragmire accepts Kalisa Dragmire's Dark Scirocco for 0 hit points! GS: Hyper, Quick, and Shield applied to Kalisa Dragmire! GS: Kalisa Dragmire has attacked Eleanor Klein with Mirage Dive! GS: Kalisa Dragmire has attacked Link with Mirage Dive! GS: Kalisa Dragmire has gained 1 Combo! GS: Kalisa Dragmire's stances have changed from Counter to Avenger and Counter! GS: Kalisa Dragmire has activated a Boss Action! GS: You have activated the Boss Action Extend! GS: Kalisa Dragmire has attacked Seraph Lanval with Umbral Spear! GS: Kalisa Dragmire has attacked Gwen Whitlock with Umbral Spear! GS: Kalisa Dragmire has attacked Ida Everstead-Rey with Umbral Spear! GS: Kalisa Dragmire has attacked Venetia Vuong with Umbral Spear! GS: Kalisa Dragmire has attacked Lunata Croze with Umbral Spear! GS: Kalisa Dragmire has attacked Shalune Amira with Umbral Spear! GS: Lunata Croze solidly guards Kalisa Dragmire's Umbral Spear for 69 hit points! GS: Delay applied to Lunata Croze! GS: FP up! Reaction bonus! GS: Eleanor Klein suffers a terrible blow from Kalisa Dragmire's Mirage Dive for 146 hit points! GS: Seraph Lanval suffers a terrible blow from Kalisa Dragmire's Umbral Spear for 177 hit points! GS: Delay applied to Seraph Lanval! GS: Hyper applied to Kalisa Dragmire! GS: Venetia Vuong solidly guards Kalisa Dragmire's Umbral Spear for 80 hit points! GS: Delay blocked! GS: Hyper applied to Kalisa Dragmire! GS: CRITICAL! Link solidly guards Kalisa Dragmire's Mirage Dive for 74 hit points! GS: FP up! Reaction bonus! GS: Ida Everstead-Rey takes a glancing hit from Kalisa Dragmire's Umbral Spear for 60 hit points! GS: Delay blocked! GS: Gwen Whitlock suffers a terrible blow from Kalisa Dragmire's Umbral Spear for 152 hit points! GS: Delay applied to Gwen Whitlock!
<Pose Tracker> Eleanor Klein has posed.
"I'd usually argue about me with this, too," Eleanor admits to Venetia, though she frowns--perhaps even pouts--at the reference to her owl shapeshifting. ...It doesn't last long, whatever it is. Instead, she focuses on Lanval, "Yes, you'd think. Making it so easy to disarm the trap is... odd."
But there's only one person Eleanor's seen with the power to interfere in her visions, and that's why she brought such a group.
And, apparenlty, Lunata!
"Oh, hello, Lunata!" She waves. "There could be trouble, so please be careful..."
"Link!" Eleanor calls, with a smile. "You made it!" A beat, "Yes, it's quite busy, isn't it?"
She does feel more secure with Gwen as a guardian, at least. And with Ida's presence.
She waves to Shalune, too. "I'd like that! But I need to investigate a bit more first!" A pause. "Flying up to get a good view is a good idea!"
But there comes the voice. Eleanor stops short, and looks sharply towards Kalisa, the mysterious figure. She does look up--and so the spear slams down into her. The magic of her clothes shields her from its point, though the bludgeoning force of an entire woman slamming into her still knocks her back into the ruined wood of the building. "Gh--"
Malice. And she is...
"You set this up? You would have attacked the city, just for a chance to test us!?"
Eleanor sounds--angry. She doesn't draw out her gun or a Crest at first--instead, she forms a ball with her hands, shaping Light itself which she hurls out at Kalisa.
"I won't allow it! No servant of Ganondorf will triumph here!"
The light sails through the air and bursts in a blast of enervating magic and exhausting Light.
GS: Eleanor Klein has attacked Kalisa Dragmire with Scour! GS: Eleanor Klein has gained 1 Combo! GS: Eleanor Klein's stances have changed to Sage! GS: Eleanor Klein has completed her action. GS: CRITICAL! Shalune Amira takes a glancing hit from Kalisa Dragmire's Umbral Spear for 76 hit points! GS: Delay applied to Shalune Amira! GS: Hyper applied to Kalisa Dragmire! GS: FP up! Reaction bonus!
<Pose Tracker> Lunata Croze has posed.
The invitation to lunch and a good time is cut terribly short when the wind picks up, and Lunata senses something unusual from it. A voice calls out, and out emerges... a young woman, dressed in red and gold Gerudo armour with a mask behind her face, wielding a spear.
"Hey, wait--"
She seems to have it out for the boy and Eleanor in particular.
And them, in turn, as she challenges them.
"--can we--"
Kalisa's spear plunges into the dirt, into shadow, and out of her own shadow, a spear erupts to attack her! There's a yelp as she holds her mop up and deflects the blow at the last minute, and with a resounding CRACK, the cleaning implement goes in half.
"... my mop!!"
Lunata resoundingly sighs as she complains, "Can we please find somewhere that's not MY HOUSE to do a dramatic trial of strength?! The guests are bothered now!"
An elderly woman peeks out of the window to say, "My my, Lunata dear, is everything all right--"
"E-everything's fine, ma'am, if you'd just keep your head inside! Consider this... consider this the fine entertainment of the night, courtesy of the Starfall Saloon!"
Drawing a breath, Lunata raises her hand -- and suddenly a black-sheathed katana appears in her hand, with an Artificial Medium at its hilt. She draws the blade, and readies herself.
"Kalisa Dragmire, huh..." Lunata murmurs, looking to Eleanor as she calls her out as a servant of Ganondorf. "Well, if you're seeking a challenge--"
She bends her knees, lowering her centre of gravity as she draws her hand to the hilt of her katana, gathering her energies. After two more seconds of focus, her eyes glint and--
BWOAAAM
--there's a low sound that can be described as 'vorpal' as a sphere of Cut elemental appears in Kalisa's vicinity, threatening to slash away with a multitude of small but deft cuts alongside a billowing trail of cherry blossom petals.
"Cherry Ronde!"
GS: Lunata Croze has attacked Kalisa Dragmire with Cherry Ronde! GS: Lunata Croze has gained 2 Combo! GS: Lunata Croze's stances have changed to Avenger! GS: Lunata Croze gains 10 FP from her Daredevil! GS: Lunata Croze has completed her action.
<Pose Tracker> Venetia Vuong has posed.
"Ah," Venetia says with a small smile. "A family business." She raises a hand to tip Shalune a salute as she looks back towards Gwen. "Well, yes," she answers her, "but also, no."
Venetia takes a deep breath. "Where to begin," she says.
Considering matters for another second, Venetia takes a deep breath -- and a desert wind begins to blow. She blinks once.
That doesn't feel normal.
And sure enough, it isn't. Her head whips around, the feathers decorating one side of her mask bobbling a little as she goggles at the arrival of the Gerudo woman. PREPARE YOURSELF, she says.
She introduces herself. Venetia's brow furrows.
And then she leaps upwards; Venetia flinches back a little at the swift motion, rising upwards and smashing down towards the Sage and the Hero with blinding speed and shocking force as she then sees her flip up and into the loose center of their cluster, which is when Venetia already knows what she's going to do.
As her shadow expands, Venetia sets her teeth and pushes AGAINST that emanation of dark magic. The spear comes and she feels it carve into her skin underneath the side of her jeans but the blow went on the outside, not the inside; blood drips into her boots but it doesn't poor.
"Alright," she answers Kalisa, and immediately pulls out her gun!!
Fanning the hammer once twice thrice four five SIX SEVEN?? NEW GUN?? she sends a volley of lead straight at the Gerudo woman, as well as producing an impressive cloud of gunsmoke as a result, shouting afterwards, "HERE'S THE ****ING FALSE OR TRUE SECTION, YOU AGGRAVATED AMAZON!"
GS: Venetia Vuong has attacked Kalisa Dragmire with My Gun Will Stop The Enemy And Their Associates! GS: Venetia Vuong has gained 2 Combo! GS: Venetia Vuong has completed her action. GS: CRITICAL! Kalisa Dragmire takes a glancing hit from Eleanor Klein's Scour for 24 hit points! GS: Dispel! Hyper, Quick, and Shield removed! GS: Blind, Drowsy, and Jam applied to Kalisa Dragmire! GS: FP up! Arcane Font!
<Pose Tracker> Link has posed.
One moment link is smiling up at Eleanor, listening to her response. Then the next as if reacting to some sixth sense at the same time as Eleanor, his shield is out in hand as he looks up at the same spot as Eleanor. Even as the new figure is speaking, he asks "Whose that?"... "Oh?"
And then he's bracing his small frame and shield taking the diving pierce with only a slight grunt as the ground craters under him as he slightly moves his body and shield transfering the force from him to the ground as Old Orca had taught him to do! "Hey! That was nice! Hey, she's got the same surname as Ganon!" Link yells, as he swings his hand with not a sword, but Deku Nuts!
Once the nuts have cleared his hand, Link finally draws his sword adopting a position with the shield forward, sword back as he begins to slowly edge towards Kalisa. "Where's my sister! Where's Ganon!" he asks of Kalisa.
GS: Link has attacked Kalisa Dragmire with Deku Nuts! GS: Link has completed his action. GS: Delay! Attack greatly weakened! GS: Kalisa Dragmire suffers a terrible blow from Lunata Croze's Cherry Ronde for 105 hit points! GS: Cover applied to Lunata Croze!
<Pose Tracker> Seraph Lanval has posed.
Lanval's defacing artistry works quickly. A few strokes of water here and there like tiny little power-washer jet blasts from quick Seraphic Arte incantations, and indeed, that ruined magical circle will start to look like--
The wind picks up, dry and hot, and uncomfortable even for someone who technically does not have skin. More(?) importantly, it ruins his ruining of someone else's pre-ruined handiwork, eliciting a levity-filled 'awww, shucksh,' as he turns about-face to the mysterious speaker.
He stands up, gradually, and the aura of careless silliness starts to take a backseat to a dramatic introduction - and Kalisa's test starts now, because she moves too quickly for him to get a word in on, stepping forward at 'and for the rest of you Drifters.'
Lanval's shadow, such as it is, expands and something sharp juts out of it. His teeth clench in a wide grimace, one eye shut and the other bugged out. He pops a good ten feet into the air on a 'YEEEEOW,' a free hand clutching his backside while the other holds his drinking gourd close to himself. He plops back down on his backside, rubbing it gingerly as he gets back up with some choice words drowned out by Venetia's gunfire.
"They all have namesh, ya know!!" Lanval calls out, but that's as far as he can snap because getting the drop on them like this, and having this much of an effect on the winds around them... she's pretty good.
Althenian glyphs form underneath him as he goes through chants that are somehow valid even though they're slurred and mispronounced - but it comes from the heart, you could tell tales of that one.
"Aqua Geyser~" Lanval calls, as a water torrent appears before the Water Seraph and goes flying through the air in a stream somewhere in the masked spear wielder's direction.
GS: Seraph Lanval has attacked Kalisa Dragmire with Aqua Geyser! GS: Seraph Lanval has gained 1 Combo! GS: Delay expired! GS: Seraph Lanval has completed his action.
<Pose Tracker> Gwen Whitlock has posed.
For a supposed guardian, Gwen's first round is not that promising.
First off, she's too busy chatting with Lunata, giving a nod to Shalune. "Oh hey, that's a great idea!" Alas, it's not to be, gone in the same timeline as where Venetia tries her best to explain to Gwen what magic is in a nutshell.
In this timeline, Kalisa Dragmire, the Phantom Blade, makes a great first appearance. A very loud first appearance, keeping Gwen from being properly on her guard, from an attack from behind. The purple-tinged spears stab up from below, giving Gwen little time to react. "Shit!!"
And yes, Gwen notices that last name. She raises an eyebrow, surprised that anyone *would* willingly carry that last name, much less proudly brandish it. And that armor seems pretty on-brand for the Gerudo she's been exposed to. Link, however, outlines it very clear. ".... Wouldn't be the first person Ganondorf's ensnared with his nonsense," Gwen grumbles, as she recovers.
"Well then, ain't that a fine how d'ya'do! I'm Gwen Whitlock, super courier!" Grabbing a throwing knife from her vest as she speaks, Gwen flings it upwards with her right hand, coating it with some electric energy in the process, attempting to time it with Lanval's torrent of water. "Here's my card!"
GS: Gwen Whitlock has attacked Kalisa Dragmire with Comet Clip! GS: Gwen Whitlock has completed her action.
<Pose Tracker> Shalune Amira has posed.
"Yes, ma'am! No worries!" the waitress-engineer calls back to Eleanor with a grin. "And as thanks, maybe consider getting dinner with us? You'll be so full you'll be rolling home--"Shalune almost misses Kalisa's entrance, but for the way that the hairs on the back of her neck suddenly stand on end. She doesn't know what she's doing when she stamps on the back of the Little Dipper to suddenly arrest its speed and pull it up to a stop, but she's learned to trust those instincts, and whips her head around quickly until she spots the figure waiting for them on the rooftop nearby - the mask on her face, the spear in her hands--
"--are you kidding me--" is all she manages to get out before the figure is airborne, and Shalune's battle reactions are not well-tested enough to avoid looking at the sun as she follows the trajectory. With a grimance and a grunt, she kicks the scooter into a darting maneuver once more, aware that something is surely going to be coming for them - but what she's not expecting is her elongated shadow from the evening light stretching outwards and then reaching for her in a way it absolutely shouldn't.
It's only quick thinking that makes her duck, and she sends her scooter into a sideways skid that barely scrapes along the stonework building opposite the Saloon. "--hi, sorry, please bear with us!" she calls to the people gawking out the window as she wrestles for control. "We'll make sure we get you an extra-big portion, but it'll be a little delayed! Just Drifter things!" She pivots suddenly into a roll, upside-down for a moment - it looks strange until she realize she's simply watching for Lunata's move and offering her another place to land.
Well, not just that - when she rights there's a staff extended in her hands, and her eyes are alight with a surprising amount of anger. "Are you being serious?" she blurts. "You're really asking the people of Adlehyde about their resolve? Did you miss the last five times their resolve got tested? We seriously need to start keeping an audit!"
"This city's faced entire armies and been levelled to the ground and they still got up again," she growls as she plants the staff across the handlebars of her scooter and sights along it - only to suddenly sweep sideways in a tiny strafing circle in a way a flying craft absolutely shouldn't be able to. The pinpoint of light at the end of her weapon sears a solid line in the air into a curve then into a circle, crackling with energy.
"I'm so fed up right now I'm not even going to give you my name!" Shalune that's against the rules!! Not that she cares, as a pull of her trigger distends the sphere of light and then sends it rocketing forwards.
GS: Gamble: Low! Kalisa Dragmire suffers a terrible blow from Venetia Vuong's My Gun Will Stop The Enemy And Their Associates for 141 hit points! GS: Shalune Amira has attacked Kalisa Dragmire with Vicious Circle! GS: Shalune Amira has gained 2 Combo! GS: Delay expired! GS: Shalune Amira has completed her action.
<Pose Tracker> Ida Everstead-Rey has posed.
"Maybe later," Ida says, managing a little smile as Shalune makes her offer. She looks past her, offers Lunata a friendly wave, and then turns back to Eleanor, her face pulling tight with focus. "They wanted us to be here," she says. "Or at least you. Meaning they planned this in such a way that they knew you would see it..."
Hot desert wind blows against her face. As sun-scorched as Ignas is, they're nowhere near the desert. Ida's head snaps up, her gaze settling on the intruder. The rest of her body slips into a ready stance, hands half-clenched, feet spread, ready to spring at any moment.
Dragmire, says the woman, and Ida's eyes widen. But there's no time to dig into the implications. Kalisa immediately makes good on her threat. Ida looks away as her foe leaps up--good misdirection, the martial artist thinks, using the sun like that--and for a moment, she even closes her eyes. She breathes out, and a cloud of golden-white chi puffs out from her lips like the mist of her breath. She feels for the pulse of her foe's life, but it's simultaneously everywhere and right near Eleanor--
Ida leaps, tucks, and rolls across the soot-streaked floorboards. The spear grazes the back of her hand, and a thin line of red wells up, mixed with alien quicksilver. She rises to her feet as Venetia sends both hot lead and righteous indignation downrange, then charges the spearwoman head-on, in what looks--at first--like a reckless assault.
It's not.
Ida whips to the side at the last moment, juking around Kalisa's off-hand side, jabbing low with her right hand. She flows from there into a smooth, circling motion, throwing strike after strike to test the woman's defenses--none of them have tremendous power behind them, but Ida's footwork is solid, her guard flowing effortlessly as she starts to circle her foe.
"You should listen to Shalune--that's the lady with the scooter--and Lunata, the one with the blade. You picked a very bad place to set your trap."
GS: Ida Everstead-Rey has attacked Kalisa Dragmire with Water Dragon Form! GS: Ida Everstead-Rey has gained 1 Combo! GS: Ida Everstead-Rey's stances have changed to Stoic! GS: Ida Everstead-Rey has completed her action. GS: Kalisa Dragmire solidly guards Link's Deku Nuts for 0 hit points! GS: Reaction switch bonus! Kalisa Dragmire gains 1 additional Combo! GS: Blind applied to Kalisa Dragmire!
GS: COUNTER! Kalisa Dragmire counterattacks Seraph Lanval with Chaotic Thrust! GS: Delay! Attack greatly weakened! GS: Kalisa Dragmire solidly guards Seraph Lanval's Aqua Geyser for 75 hit points! GS: Reaction switch bonus! Kalisa Dragmire gains 1 additional Combo! GS: Charge!! You gain 40 FP! (That's 25 more than usual!) GS: FP up! Arcane Font and Reaction bonus!
GS: Seraph Lanval takes a glancing hit from Kalisa Dragmire's Chaotic Thrust for 62 hit points! GS: FP up! Power Burst! GS: Delay! Attack greatly weakened! GS: Kalisa Dragmire partially guards Gwen Whitlock's Comet Clip for 0 hit points! GS: Reaction switch bonus! Kalisa Dragmire gains 1 additional Combo! GS: Jam and Weaken applied to Kalisa Dragmire! GS: FP up! Reaction bonus! GS: Delay! Attack greatly weakened! GS: CRITICAL! Gamble: Moderate! Kalisa Dragmire takes a glancing hit from Shalune Amira's Vicious Circle for 53 hit points! GS: Reaction switch bonus! Kalisa Dragmire gains 1 additional Combo! GS: Interrupt blocked! GS: FP up! Reaction bonus! GS: Kalisa Dragmire suffers a terrible blow from Ida Everstead-Rey's Water Dragon Form for 164 hit points! GS: Reaction switch bonus! Kalisa Dragmire gains 1 additional Combo! GS: Charge!! You gain 40 FP! (That's 25 more than usual!)
<Pose Tracker> Kalisa Dragmire has posed.
"Of course, Sage. But I knew you would not disappoint me." There is a sense of a grin spreading beneath that mask. "You are mistaken. I am no mere servant of Ganondorf."
Kalisa dodges to the side, just barely skirting the outside edge of the blast--but it's enough to drain the magic she fortified with just moments prior. "So this is the power of Light, is it?"
"My ambitions will not wait for your houseguests," she calls to Lunata. "But rest assured that I am not interested in them." There is a sound of surprise as that sphere of Cut elemental appears, and just enough of those cuts sink into her to leave wounds before she's finally able to maneuver out of the way. "Good! I look forward to testing your blade properly!"
Venetia takes offense, and does not go for the thing Kalisa expected, having mentioned temporal causality a moment earlier. She shifts into motion, but seems to take plenty of hits as she dances through the bullets. "Relying on an ARM to do your will, instead of your own strength?"
"I do," she says simply as Link points out the name connection. To look at them, face to mask with each other, they can't be that different in age from each other. Kalisa attempts to slice the deku nuts from the air but one still blinds her... though it's hard to see from behind that mask. She does take a moment to shake her head, trying to clear her vision. "If you want answers, Hero, you shall have to earn them."
"I've introduced myself, Seraph," retorts Kalisa to Lanval as he protects that they have names. He summons that geyser of water, and Kalisa chooses to charge directly into it, spearpoint first, splitting through the water as she springs to attack the Seraph.
"Nonsense? You speak ill of a great man, Courier." Okay so now that she knows someone's name she's just not going to use it. A knife is tossed and then deflected aside with a quick motion of her spear.
"It is not the people I am interested in," retorts Kalisa, as she charges at Shalune's sphere of energy and then slides under it, just grazing the underside of it. "They do not have the strength to stand up to me in combat!"
There are many interesting powers on display here--but so far only Ida has brought martial prowess to bear, and when Ida jukes to the side Kalisa is caught offguard. Try tries her best to match Ida blow for blow, but more of Ida's strikes land true than hers in that exchange. Finally, she leaps back to give herself some distance. "All that matters is that I brought her here," she says, of the location of her trap.
She brandishes her spear, drawing it back as dark energy channels into it. "What interesting powers and abilities you all have. You Drifters do not disappoint. But I will not be bested yet." Her spear glowing with dark, shadowy energy, she unleashes a mighty slice, and sends out waves of dark energy towards everyone involved in the fracas...
Except for Ida, whom she leaps on with a flurry of spear strikes and them mixing it, once close enough, with kicks. "You may yet give me a proper fight!"
GS: The Force Action Extend is already active! GS: Kalisa Dragmire has attacked Eleanor Klein with Flood of Darkness! GS: Kalisa Dragmire has attacked Lunata Croze with Flood of Darkness! GS: Kalisa Dragmire has attacked Venetia Vuong with Flood of Darkness! GS: Kalisa Dragmire has attacked Link with Flood of Darkness! GS: Kalisa Dragmire has attacked Seraph Lanval with Flood of Darkness! GS: Kalisa Dragmire has attacked Gwen Whitlock with Flood of Darkness! GS: Kalisa Dragmire has attacked Shalune Amira with Flood of Darkness! GS: Recover! Drowsy and Jam removed from Kalisa Dragmire! GS: Kalisa Dragmire has attacked Ida Everstead-Rey with Fang and Claw! GS: Kalisa Dragmire has gained 1 Combo! GS: Lunata Croze suffers a terrible blow from Kalisa Dragmire's Flood of Darkness for 110 hit points! GS: Reaction switch bonus! Lunata Croze gains 1 additional Combo! GS: Misery inflicts a random effect! Delay and Mute applied to Lunata Croze! GS: Shalune Amira suffers a terrible blow from Kalisa Dragmire's Flood of Darkness for 108 hit points! GS: Shalune Amira's Slow Ward may block the effect! GS: Misery inflicts a random effect! Mute applied to Shalune Amira! GS: Slow blocked! GS: CRITICAL! Link solidly guards Kalisa Dragmire's Flood of Darkness for 59 hit points! GS: Misery inflicts a random effect! Mute and Slow applied to Link! GS: Hyper applied to Kalisa Dragmire! GS: Ida Everstead-Rey solidly guards Kalisa Dragmire's Fang and Claw for 64 hit points! GS: Reaction switch bonus! Ida Everstead-Rey gains 1 additional Combo! GS: Mute applied to Ida Everstead-Rey! GS: FP up! Power Burst! GS: CRITICAL! Eleanor Klein partially guards Kalisa Dragmire's Flood of Darkness for 87 hit points! GS: Reaction switch bonus! Eleanor Klein gains 1 additional Combo! GS: Misery inflicts a random effect! Break and Mute applied to Eleanor Klein! GS: Seraph Lanval suffers a terrible blow from Kalisa Dragmire's Flood of Darkness for 111 hit points! GS: Seraph Lanval's Mute Ward may block the effect! GS: Misery inflicts a random effect! Disrupt applied to Seraph Lanval! GS: Mute blocked! GS: Venetia Vuong takes a glancing hit from Kalisa Dragmire's Flood of Darkness for 37 hit points! GS: Reaction switch bonus! Venetia Vuong gains 1 additional Combo! GS: Venetia Vuong's Mute Ward may block the effect! GS: Misery inflicts a random effect! Disrupt applied to Venetia Vuong! GS: Mute blocked!
<Pose Tracker> Eleanor Klein has posed.
Eleanor would much rather be getting lunch with Shalune and Lunata at the Starfall than be fighting this woman right now. She wonders the same as Link--well, half of it. She wonders where Ganondorf is.
But the others seem to have their responses in order, from Venetia's gun to Lanval's magic to Gwen's introduction.
"Right," Eleanor says to Ida. "Somehow, this woman knew I would See what she had planned. But how someone could manipulate destiny that way, I've never seen except from--"
Kalisa knew. "I'm not here for your amusement," Eleanor tells Kalisa flatly. "And if you think the King of Evil desires to share his Power, you are mistaken. What are you to him?"
An ARM... Eleanor wants to pull hers out out of spite for that comment to Venetia, but she doesn't yet. Instead--
A wave of dark energy crashes towards Eleanor, and she meets it with a shield of light. The light blunts the impact, but the darkness--her elemental opposite--lingers on her nevertheless. She can feel herself weakened as a result. Which means...
"O bright heaven, pause in your turning, and shine down upon yesterday! Reversion!"
Eleanor lifts a hand, and wounds and ruin begin to knit and restore themselves, magic 'sticking' health and wellness to her allies as she casts.
"If you wanted me, you could have just sent me a letter! You didn't have to endanger these people!"
GS: Eleanor Klein has attacked Ida Everstead-Rey with Reversion! GS: Eleanor Klein has attacked Shalune Amira with Reversion! GS: Eleanor Klein has attacked Gwen Whitlock with Reversion! GS: Eleanor Klein has attacked Seraph Lanval with Reversion! GS: Eleanor Klein has attacked Link with Reversion! GS: Eleanor Klein has attacked Venetia Vuong with Reversion! GS: Eleanor Klein has attacked Lunata Croze with Reversion! GS: Eleanor Klein has attacked Eleanor Klein with Reversion! GS: Eleanor Klein has gained 1 Combo! GS: Eleanor Klein has completed her action. GS: Lunata Croze accepts Eleanor Klein's Reversion for 0 hit points! GS: Restore! Delay and Mute removed! GS: Lock state applied to Lunata Croze! GS: Eleanor Klein accepts Eleanor Klein's Reversion for 0 hit points! GS: Restore! Break and Mute removed! GS: Lock state applied to Eleanor Klein! GS: CRITICAL! Shalune Amira accepts Eleanor Klein's Reversion for 0 hit points! GS: Restore! Mute removed! GS: Lock state applied to Shalune Amira! GS: Ida Everstead-Rey accepts Eleanor Klein's Reversion for 0 hit points! GS: Restore! Mute removed! GS: Lock state applied to Ida Everstead-Rey! GS: COUNTER! Gwen Whitlock counterattacks Kalisa Dragmire with Counter Attack! GS: Gwen Whitlock solidly guards Kalisa Dragmire's Flood of Darkness for 65 hit points! GS: Reaction switch bonus! Gwen Whitlock gains 1 additional Combo! GS: Misery inflicts a random effect! Mute applied to Gwen Whitlock! GS: Poison blocked! GS: Gwen Whitlock accepts Eleanor Klein's Reversion for 0 hit points! GS: Restore! Delay and Mute removed! GS: Lock state applied to Gwen Whitlock! GS: Seraph Lanval accepts Eleanor Klein's Reversion for 0 hit points! GS: Restore! Disrupt removed! GS: Lock state applied to Seraph Lanval! GS: Venetia Vuong accepts Eleanor Klein's Reversion for 0 hit points! GS: Restore! Disrupt removed! GS: Lock state applied to Venetia Vuong!
<Pose Tracker> Lunata Croze has posed.
Lunata's lips crease into a somewhat nervous grin as she says, "Fine! I'll hold you to that honour of not harming anyone else here. I like your style, so I'll entertain you in turn!"
The spear erupts with a wave of dark energy, a mighty slice flying in her direction. The Saloon is right behind her, so she has to stand her ground here!
"Hmmmh.... HAAA!"
Once more gathering her energy into her lowered stance, Lunata's response to the wave is to strike it at the core of its energy as it comes towards her -- and her blade of Death seeks out darkness in turn, rending it in half; however, the technique is not perfect, and the flood powerful, darkness scathing her in the arms as it flows past her.
"I'm Lunata Croze, of Adlehyde! One of the slayers of the false Goddess, Mother, and one of the bringers of the Eternal Calm! You want a worthy target? I'm right here!"
It's an unusual level of pomp and boast that Lunata is bringing along, but she's probably cottoned on to what Kalisa is interested in -- and the more she draws her attention that way, the less she can bring the rest of the town into it!
The waitress darts down from the awning and starts to dash down the street. As she does so, Eleanor's restoring light flows through her. "She manipulated this meeting to bring you here? Weird. But... I rather like her gumption, I gotta say."
She increases speed again, seeking to square in towards Kalisa's position -- and then suddenly, as she dashes, there's not one, not two--
"As inevitable does water flow, from source to sea... strike true! Turbid Current!"
There's five Lunatas flowing in tandem, spreading out into a circle around the Gerudo warrior! With a single motion, they slide in to slash at her from those five angles, passing through to their respective sides!
GS: Formation! Lunata Croze has attacked Kalisa Dragmire with Turbid Current! GS: Lunata Croze has gained 1 Combo! GS: Lunata Croze gains 10 FP from her Daredevil! GS: Lunata Croze gains 5 FP from Gleam! GS: Lunata Croze has completed her action.
<Pose Tracker> Link has posed.
"Then I will just have to get those answers." Link declares as he braces his shield against the strikes that come from Kalisa! The wave of dark energy hits Link's shield and washes off to either side pushing him back with another grunt but the green tunic'd child refuses to give any ground as he instead pushes forward one, then two steps, then another till he's infront of Eleanor.
"Stay behind me Eleanor and do what you can to help us. I'll guard you!" as he steps himself steadily between Kalisa and Eleanor. His stance is not quite the same, something about appears to change a bit with his sword head steady in his left hand but the tip is pointed forward under the raised shield that his eyes just barely look over. Those black eyes focus black eyes seem to sharpen an focus as he watches Kalise while preparing for his next move.
GS: CRITICAL! Link accepts Eleanor Klein's Reversion for 0 hit points! GS: Restore! Mute and Slow removed! GS: Lock state applied to Link! GS: Link has attacked Eleanor Klein with To Be a Hero! GS: Link has gained 3 Combo! GS: Link's stances have changed from Counter to Counter and Hero! GS: Link has completed his action. GS: Eleanor Klein accepts Link's To Be a Hero for 0 hit points! GS: Protect and Shield applied to Eleanor Klein! GS: Eleanor Klein is now being protected by Link! GS: Cover applied to Link!
<Pose Tracker> Seraph Lanval has posed.
Water parts before Kalisa's forward charge, and Lanval spins with the grazing thrust that feels like it gets purchase on something like it might on a flesh and blood body, rearing back with the rope attached to his drinking gourd as he gets interrupted - anew - by waves of dark energy that see him hopping back ineptly(?) on one leg before being plowed over by the shockwaves of dark force.
He kicks a leg up in the air in seeming defeat, as Kalisa harps praise for one who might give Kalisa a proper fight. (the italics need to be quoted)
The Sage of Light's retort being to aid them, Lanval puts up a finger as if to say 'shh' and gives a thumb up as whatever power of darkness' hold on his posture and ability to interject seems to fade.
It's a very subtle thing, the way Lanval's body seems to hop around subtly and slightly, like a flopping fish deciding it's going to play the role of a ninja in the deadly world of unbreathable non-watery air. Hop. Hop. Hop. (He makes space for Lunata's copies and staying out of Link's way.)
It's all very strange to watch, if he's even being watched, until at one point he palms out the drinking gourd with such force it tries to go for one of Kalisa's ankles while she's enamored with the martial skill of some others.
"Not everything in thish world ish proper, ya know. Like yer greetingsh~," Lanval grouses. The simplicity of the gesture belies the amount of force he can put behind it, and it is of far heavier bearing than it has any right to be.
...
"'m Lanval," he says while still lying down on the ground.
GS: Healthy! For entering Condition Green, Seraph Lanval receives 100 temporary hit points. GS: Seraph Lanval enters CONDITION GREEN!! GS: Seraph Lanval has attacked Kalisa Dragmire with Layabout's Lariat! GS: Seraph Lanval has gained 1 Combo! GS: Seraph Lanval enters CONDITION GREEN!! GS: Seraph Lanval has completed his action.
<Pose Tracker> Shalune Amira has posed.
Shalune is not aware of the implications of Kalisa's surname, but it's not like that would change her course of action at all; she lets the bolt of energy rip without any further theatrics, and is already hunkering down on the flying scooter ready to rocket forwards and either engage or get the hell out of the way as needed. There's a certain satisfaction in the way Ida backs her comments up, though she wishes it could be an eager satisfaction rather than a grim one.
"Oh. You're one of those," she notes with a huff of air as she chases down Kalisa's evasive maneuver. "'cause, you know, there's a hell of a lot more to someone's resolve and strength than just whether they're good at combat, and when it comes down to it half the people here are just 'normal people' who decided to actually try standing up and if you just stopped for a moment and anyway--"
She's kind of having to speed up her speech in a rapid manner, partially because she's suddenly trying to weave around bolts of dark energy as they impact hard against her scooter and partially because she's just heard Lunata cry her name and title out in full and she has the definite feeling that she might be the only one trying to make what is, in the moment, a very futile point.
She yelps as the next wave does manage to slice through her guard; she winces as she loses half of her grip on the scooter, dangling awkwardly as it spins out of control before she manages to pull it back under the warmth of Eleanor's light. She puffs a second time, because while she's dimly aware that Lunata's trying to lead this person's attention away from the rest of the townsfolk, there is always the knowledge at the back of her head that it comes at Lunata's cost.
And she's damned if she's going to let that lie. "What I'm saying is--"
She guns the scooter forwards, weaving around the multiple Lunatas and the plumes of water that keep Lanval bouyant. Her approach is single-minded and directly focused - or at least it is until she suddenly pitches the scooter forwards and down a side-street in the blink of an eye. For a moment, it almost looks like she's fled the battle - before she rockets over a rooftop and flips down into a solid dive. There is no finesse here - just the crash of her vehicle against Kalisa's spear. "--get the hell out of our city!"
GS: Shalune Amira has attacked Kalisa Dragmire with Sudden Impact! GS: Shalune Amira has gained 2 Combo! GS: Shalune Amira has completed her action. GS: Kalisa Dragmire partially guards Lunata Croze's Turbid Current for 161 hit points! GS: Reaction switch bonus! Kalisa Dragmire gains 1 additional Combo! GS: Delay blocked!
<Pose Tracker> Venetia Vuong has posed.
"Silence, knave," Venetia answers Kalisa as she holsters her gun again, narrowing her eyes. "You want to see power?!" Venetia shouts as she gets a Crest Graph ready in the time during which Kalisa addresses the others and turns towards Ida--
Of course, then she releases a powerful burst of darkness.
How rude! But then, Venetia thinks as the shadowy energy smashes into her as she hastily crosses her arms over her face, I figured out my share of things to spread out across the others, didn't I? It's just solid - gah! - tactics.
The darkness seems to drip from her. She exhales with force.
Eleanor's magic wipes it clean. It eases soreness. The blood on her leg dries up.
"Regardless, perhaps we got off on the wrong foot. I'm pleased to meet you," Venetia huffs out. "I'm Venetia Vuong."
A beat as she tilts her head forwards, eyes gleaming behind the lace mask. "I'm the world's greatest magician."
"Let me show you."
The Crest Graph is raised upwards as she speaks, "COME FORTH! SIMULACRUM SIGN --" And then it is flipped forwards even as Shalune's scooter make everything more complex for a moment. Argh! Why does she have a motor-vehicle in battle?! They're not for fighting!! Get a Gear!!
Venetia thinks all of that in a flash and it only slightly delays the spell's manifestation. A violet shadow rises up from behind her, forming and coagulating into a sort of second, more massive Venetia with bronze-riveted fists and flesh of stone. With a wordless roar, the Simulacrum charges to unleash a brief but vigorous punch rush followed with a brutal right hook, before stepping back a pace and rising and fading.
Venetia and the Simulacrum both give Link a thumbs-up as he volunteers to guard Eleanor.
GS: Venetia Vuong has attacked Kalisa Dragmire with Simulacrum Sign ~Velvet Underground~! GS: Venetia Vuong has gained 1 Combo! GS: Venetia Vuong's stances have changed to Hero! GS: Venetia Vuong has completed her action.
<Pose Tracker> Ida Everstead-Rey has posed.
Kalisa seems tremendously eager to prove herself, or so Ida thinks. It's not a bad setup. Lure out one of Ganondorf's mortal enemies by planting a warning only she can see, then ambush her, and whomever's guarding her. Ida can respect that much.
"So," Ida says, leaning in a little behind Kalisa's shoulder as she circles her--like the two were talking at a party, and not a violent altercation. "I didn't know the King of Evil had a--daughter? Granddaughter? Niece? You don't look much like him." The comment comes at the same time as a strike against Kalisa's side. It's a characteristic of Method Mercury, one of Ida's fighting arts--throw the foe off-balance mentally, and you'll probably get the upper hand. How does Kalisa respond to being gossiped about?
Out of the corner of her eye, Ida sees Link get into position, and make his bold declaration. Good, she thinks. She's got a bit less to worry about; she trusts him to keep Eleanor safe, even if it now means Ida has to help keep him safe.
"A proper fight?" Ida's face twists in a self-effacing little grin, the sort of expression that might be right at home on Lanval. "I don't know about that. The champion of the Tournament of Arms--" A meaningful look at Lunata, as she declares her formidable pedigree-- "Is right over there, and you interrupted her while she was mopping."
Despite the banter, Ida can't afford to treat this with anything less than deadly seriousness. Her guard stays fluid; she bobs and weaves to stay ahead of Kalisa's spear thrusts, though the blade clips her off-hand as she reaches down for an open-handed deflection. Again, there's... blood that's not wholly human mixed in with the crimson. Humans don't bleed that color. Metal Demons do.
"And besides, Eleanor's right," Ida says, as she flicks her injured hand. The bleeding stops with... inhuman speed. "She usually is." As Venetia summons the Simulacrum, Ida takes full advantage. Her right hand boils with golden-white light as she drives it in a knife-hand strike at Kalisa's shoulder. If it hits, the chi gathered inside jumps into her foe with a painful snap-pop, and then settles into her body. A sort of burning pain will spread out from the point of impact, settling into muscles and nerves, as the weaponized lifeforce does its work.
GS: Ida Everstead-Rey has attacked Kalisa Dragmire with Searing Ember Strike! GS: Ida Everstead-Rey has gained 4 Combo! GS: Ida Everstead-Rey's Stoic stance ends! GS: Ida Everstead-Rey gains 20 THP from Cancel! GS: Ida Everstead-Rey has completed her action.
<Pose Tracker> Gwen Whitlock has posed.
"I _said what I said_," Gwen retorts back to Kalisa, with a sudden undercurrent of venom to her words. "Maybe if you listen to someone other than the person tellin' you what you wanna hear, you might _get somewhere_."
Gwen spares a quick glance to Link; while she only knows him from a few chance meetings, it feels wrong to shrug off a dangerous role of bodyguard on a boy his age. Still, he seems to deal with the blows pretty well, so for now, Gwen decides to go on the offensive.
Kalisa unleashes another round of her flavor of shadowy magic, and this time, Gwen's prepared. Holding out her right hand, Gwen seemingly takes on the energy full on, her feet shifting backwards from the force. A few seconds, and a wave of energy is expelled back out, smelling of ozone. It's not exactly a great tactic; Gwen's body feels the effects of absorbing even a small bit of that energy.
Eleanor's magic undoes the damage that ails the courier as she strides forward.
"You want a proper fight? Lemme show you that Ida ain't the only one here that can throw a decent punch!" Her stride quickens to a run, and then a mad dash as Kalisa closes in on Ida. This time, Gwen opts to use her left fist, instead of her right, owing to Kalisa's earlier remarks about dependency on ARMs.
Why she chooses to go that route while trying to slam her fist into Kalisa while she's facing Ida is... well, Gwen's picking her battles.
GS: Kalisa Dragmire suffers a terrible blow from Seraph Lanval's Layabout's Lariat for 232 hit points! GS: Riposte applied to Seraph Lanval! GS: Gwen Whitlock spends 1 Combo on Gatling, loading 1 into Gatling! GS: Formation! Gwen Whitlock has attacked Kalisa Dragmire with Special Delivery! GS: Gwen Whitlock has gained 1 Combo! GS: Gwen Whitlock has completed her action. GS: Kalisa Dragmire gains 10 FP from her Daredevil! GS: Kalisa Dragmire gains 5 FP from Gleam! GS: Kalisa Dragmire has completed her action. GS: ROU|LET|TE: Low! Gamble: Highest! Kalisa Dragmire takes a solid hit from Shalune Amira's Sudden Impact for 162 hit points! GS: Reaction switch bonus! Kalisa Dragmire gains 1 additional Combo! GS: Charge!! You gain 30 FP! (That's 15 more than usual!) GS: FP up! Reaction bonus!
GS: Kalisa Dragmire has activated Force Action: Accelerate! GS: You have activated the Force Action Accelerate! GS: Kalisa Dragmire suffers a terrible blow from Venetia Vuong's Simulacrum Sign ~Velvet Underground~ for 286 hit points! GS: Reaction switch bonus! Kalisa Dragmire gains 1 additional Combo! GS: FP up! Arcane Font! GS: Kalisa Dragmire partially guards Ida Everstead-Rey's Searing Ember Strike for 0 hit points! GS: Reaction switch bonus! Kalisa Dragmire gains 1 additional Combo! GS: Cripple and Disease applied to Kalisa Dragmire! GS: FP up! Reaction bonus! GS: Kalisa Dragmire takes a solid hit from Gwen Whitlock's Counter Attack for 0 hit points! GS: FP up! Reaction bonus! GS: Your HP has been set to 2997. GS: Kalisa Dragmire suffers a terrible blow from Gwen Whitlock's Special Delivery for 0 hit points! GS: Reaction switch bonus! Kalisa Dragmire gains 1 additional Combo! GS: Charge!! You gain 40 FP! (That's 25 more than usual!) GS: Kalisa Dragmire enters CONDITION GREEN!! GS: Your HP has been set to 2997.
<Pose Tracker> Kalisa Dragmire has posed.
"Trust me, Sage. Very little about you amuses me." The next remark causes her to laugh. "I do not seek share his power. I am his blade, an extension of his will just as this spear is an extension of mine." But all of that work that she did is quickly undone by Eleanor's Light magic, and she nods grimly as she sees what's happened. "Well-played."
No matter. She has other methods.
"Well then, Slayer." She draws back into a ready stance as Luna comes charging in--and then nods in satisfaction as five of them suddenly appear. "Good." She's quick to bring her spear to bar, dancing in between the strikes of those five duplicates, blocking, deflecting, and dancing through the storm. "An interesting trick, and an equally interesting blade."
"How self-sacrificing of you, Hero," she says as she watches Link take up a posture defending Eleanor. She raises her spear as she readies for an assault. "Then let's see how strong your resolve is."
There is, indeed, a lot going on--and Kalisa is, perhaps, not fully prepared for some of the oddities the Drifters can present. Namely, Lanval flopping his way over and then suddenly smashing at her ankle with a drinking guord that is far more than what it is. She tries to react, to slam her spear down to use thr prongs to pin Lanval's arm but she reacts a second too late. "Argh!" she shouts as she stumbles back. "What are you doing!? How can you fight in such an undignified manner?"
Kalisa is, momentarily, disappointed to see Shalune seemingly flee from the battle. But then she reappears, launching herself over a building and diving right at her. She stands her grond, brancing her spear with both hands as she attempts to deflect the guard, but instead takes it right in the chest. She stumbles back, gasping for air for a moment as she cluthes her chest. "Good use of the terrain," she comments. "I'll have to be careful with you."
"Show me this 'power' of yours, Magician," challenges Kalisa to Venetia. She watches as the Simulacrum. A tall woman made of stone rises and charges. Kalisa charges in turn, truing to duck in between bronze-reinforced fists and--no, the first blow lands, and then another and several more until the final hook sends her flying into a wall. Wood and ash spinter and fly everywhere from the impact. She slowly climes out of the hole, pantomining wiping something from her mouth (though the mask hides whatever it might have been.) "That is a great magic you wield," she admits.
Why does she sound excited by that?
She's all too eager to throw herself into the fray, even if it means that Ida is soon at her rear once more. An ear flicks as Ida circles around, and she brings her spear up to block that distracting strike. "You're trying to distract me," she accuses, "But the truth is a poor bait." She brings a hand up to deflect Ida's next blow, brushing it aside to avoid most of the damage but not fast enough to avoid the brush of chi against her shoulder. She grimaces through grit teeth and withdraws a step, shaking her arm out. "Your manipulation of chi is masterful."
Gwen actually absorbs some of her attack's energy and returns it to her. She brings her spear up to guard the worst of it, the rest of it washing over her as she's pushed back a step. "An interesting tactic, Courier. How do you come to manipulate energy in such a manner?" But a proper fight-- Kalisa sets her stance, and rushes forward to met Gwen--only to get clocked square in the face, stumbling back and catching herself with her spear in a crouch as she catches her breath.
"I've seen... almost everything I wanted to see from you, Sage." She is breathing hard, run ragged by her brief encounter, but she hardly sounds worried or disappointed. "But I'm still not satisfied." She inhales deeply, and one could imagine she has closed her eyes as she tries to center herself.
Suddenly she springs backwards in another flip, landing in an immaculate stance as she poses with her spear. To look at her is to see perfect posture--textbook, if she ever learned anything of fighting from a book.
"Show me everything you have, Drifters." Energy floods her spear again, a dark shadowy blue. She raises it up overhead, but this time smacks it down into the ground with the butt end of the spear. A ripple of energy washes out from her in all directions, with an oddly restorative effect--bringing everyone to their baseline, whether or ill or for boon, and leaving extra energy in its wake.
And after that she resumes her stance, clearly waiting for the drifters to make their moves.
GS: Kalisa Dragmire has attacked Kalisa Dragmire with Perfect Balance! GS: Kalisa Dragmire accepts Kalisa Dragmire's Perfect Balance for 0 hit points! GS: Burst, Lock state, and Surge applied to Kalisa Dragmire! GS: Kalisa Dragmire enters CONDITION GREEN!! GS: Kalisa Dragmire has attacked Eleanor Klein with Imperious Challenge! GS: Kalisa Dragmire has attacked Lunata Croze with Imperious Challenge! GS: Kalisa Dragmire has attacked Link with Imperious Challenge! GS: Kalisa Dragmire has attacked Seraph Lanval with Imperious Challenge! GS: Kalisa Dragmire has attacked Shalune Amira with Imperious Challenge! GS: Kalisa Dragmire has attacked Venetia Vuong with Imperious Challenge! GS: Kalisa Dragmire has attacked Ida Everstead-Rey with Imperious Challenge! GS: Kalisa Dragmire has attacked Gwen Whitlock with Imperious Challenge! GS: Kalisa Dragmire gains 10 FP from her Daredevil! GS: Kalisa Dragmire gains 5 FP from Gleam! GS: Kalisa Dragmire has completed her action. GS: Eleanor Klein takes a solid hit from Kalisa Dragmire's Imperious Challenge for 0 hit points! GS: Reaction switch bonus! Eleanor Klein gains 1 additional Combo! GS: Restore! Ruin! Lock state removed! GS: Eleanor Klein enters CONDITION GREEN!! GS: RUIN! All positive status effects and temporary hit points purged from Eleanor Klein! GS: Ida Everstead-Rey suffers a terrible blow from Kalisa Dragmire's Imperious Challenge for 0 hit points! GS: Reaction switch bonus! Ida Everstead-Rey gains 1 additional Combo! GS: Restore! Ruin! Lock state removed! GS: Ida Everstead-Rey enters CONDITION GREEN!! GS: RUIN! All positive status effects and temporary hit points purged from Ida Everstead-Rey! GS: CRITICAL! Venetia Vuong suffers a terrible blow from Kalisa Dragmire's Imperious Challenge for 0 hit points! GS: Reaction switch bonus! Venetia Vuong gains 1 additional Combo! GS: Restore! Ruin! Lock state removed! GS: Venetia Vuong enters CONDITION GREEN!! GS: RUIN! All positive status effects and temporary hit points purged from Venetia Vuong! GS: Link takes a solid hit from Kalisa Dragmire's Imperious Challenge for 0 hit points! GS: Restore! Ruin! Lock state removed! GS: FP up! Reaction bonus! GS: Healthy! For entering Condition Green, Link receives 100 temporary hit points. GS: Link enters CONDITION GREEN!! GS: RUIN! All positive status effects and temporary hit points purged from Link! GS: CRITICAL! Shalune Amira solidly guards Kalisa Dragmire's Imperious Challenge for 0 hit points! GS: Reaction switch bonus! Shalune Amira gains 1 additional Combo! GS: Restore! Ruin! Lock state removed! GS: Shalune Amira enters CONDITION GREEN!! GS: RUIN! All positive status effects and temporary hit points purged from Shalune Amira! GS: CRITICAL! Seraph Lanval solidly guards Kalisa Dragmire's Imperious Challenge for 0 hit points! GS: Reaction switch bonus! Seraph Lanval gains 1 additional Combo! GS: Restore! Ruin! Lock state removed! GS: FP up! Reaction bonus! GS: RUIN! All positive status effects and temporary hit points purged from Seraph Lanval!
<Pose Tracker> Eleanor Klein has posed.
Despite Lunata liking her gumption, Eleanor cannot approve. "So it would seem," Eleanor answers her. She sees what she's doing about becoming a bigger target, at least, and will try to support that. Then, though--then, Link moves to shield her, despite the fact that she is bigger than he is. He'll get his answers, and--
The boy that Kalisa called the Hero. "...Right," Eleanor says then, after a split second's decision. "I'll be relying on you, Link."
"That was definitely not a proper greeting," she agrees dourly with Lanval, watching the others fight. She can always rely on Venetia to be a rock for them in combat.
But Ida, "I certainly didn't know either."
'She usually is right' is something Eleanor might have something to say about usually, but for right now...
Right now, Kalisa speaks of herself. "I see. Then as I would any other tool of the King of Evil, I must destroy you."
Everything, is it?
"...Fine," Eleanor says. "I'll show you the power of my friends. Of what we can bring to bear, when we work together. A power that Ganondorf will never understand!"
Eleanor extends her hands to either side, drawing on the Ley directly through the power of the Sage. "O Sacred Light" Eleanor intones, bringing her hands together and weaving the Ley with it, "Shine forth, and empower these warriors!"
Eleanor throws out her hands again, and golden light shimmers around everyone, a divine force of warmth, Eleanor's resolve made manifest to settle on the shoulders of every combatant but Kalisa.
"Now! For Adelhyde!"
GS: Eleanor Klein has attacked Gwen Whitlock with Blessing of Light! GS: Eleanor Klein has attacked Ida Everstead-Rey with Blessing of Light! GS: Eleanor Klein has attacked Venetia Vuong with Blessing of Light! GS: Eleanor Klein has attacked Shalune Amira with Blessing of Light! GS: Eleanor Klein has attacked Seraph Lanval with Blessing of Light! GS: Eleanor Klein has attacked Link with Blessing of Light! GS: Eleanor Klein has attacked Lunata Croze with Blessing of Light! GS: Eleanor Klein has attacked Eleanor Klein with Blessing of Light! GS: Eleanor Klein has gained 2 Combo! GS: Eleanor Klein has completed her action. GS: Link accepts Eleanor Klein's Blessing of Light for 0 hit points! GS: Hyper, Quick, and Shield applied to Link! GS: Seraph Lanval accepts Eleanor Klein's Blessing of Light for 0 hit points! GS: Hyper, Quick, and Shield applied to Seraph Lanval! GS: CRITICAL! Lunata Croze accepts Kalisa Dragmire's Imperious Challenge for 0 hit points! GS: Restore! Ruin! Lock state removed! GS: Lunata Croze enters CONDITION GREEN!! GS: RUIN! All positive status effects and temporary hit points purged from Lunata Croze! GS: Lunata Croze accepts Eleanor Klein's Blessing of Light for 0 hit points! GS: Hyper, Quick, and Shield applied to Lunata Croze! GS: Shalune Amira accepts Eleanor Klein's Blessing of Light for 0 hit points! GS: Hyper, Quick, and Shield applied to Shalune Amira! GS: Venetia Vuong accepts Eleanor Klein's Blessing of Light for 0 hit points! GS: Hyper, Quick, and Shield applied to Venetia Vuong! GS: Ida Everstead-Rey accepts Eleanor Klein's Blessing of Light for 0 hit points! GS: Hyper, Quick, and Shield applied to Ida Everstead-Rey!
<Pose Tracker> Link has posed.
From his spot infront of Eleanor, Link frowns behind his shield not at what Kalisa says but the attack she uses. It was around his shield in a way that can't be properly guarded, but it effects appear to do little damage simply returning him to how he was just before it. Following itup immediately through is a wash of light from behind him as Eleanor casts out her own magic. Where before he felt nothing as he moved for guard Eleanor, now he feels strength and speed well up.
"Right, this isn't anything we can't overcome with the right teamwork!" Link declares as he shifts his stance and lifts his blade up high.
The Hero's Sword doesn't react as the sun shines on it, but for Link it simply feels the right thing to do in the second before he lunges forward letting his shield arm drop behind his body as he brings the powerful strike down at Kalise.
"Tell us where Ganon took my sister!" he cries out as he unleashes a heroic strike.
GS: Link has attacked Kalisa Dragmire with Hero's Strike! GS: Link enters a Counter stance! GS: Link has gained 2 Combo! GS: Link's stances have changed from Counter and Hero to Counter and Hero! GS: Link has completed his action. GS: Gwen Whitlock accepts Eleanor Klein's Blessing of Light for 0 hit points! GS: Hyper, Quick, and Shield applied to Gwen Whitlock! GS: Gwen Whitlock partially guards Kalisa Dragmire's Imperious Challenge for 0 hit points! GS: Restore! Ruin! Lock state removed! GS: Gwen Whitlock enters CONDITION GREEN!! GS: RUIN! All positive status effects and temporary hit points purged from Gwen Whitlock!
<Pose Tracker> Lunata Croze has posed.
Shalune's call to defend Adlehyde buoys Lunata, of course -- the town's been through much, and even if they are the hardiest of folk, no one deserves to get hit over and over and over again for nothing. So perhaps, in that sense, she can appreciate that Kalisa's not here for the town -- but for them.
Ida calls her as the champion of the Tournament of Arms, and she's a bit embarrassed as she goes, "Geez, Ida, that was a while ago... that ended up being a mess, didn't it?" Grahf swept in at the last moment, and everything...
Kalisa calls her trick interesting, and there's a grin back at Lunata as she says, "Oh, I'd call your spearwork no less interesting! Spears out of shadows? I haven't seen that style before!"
She calls on them to bring everything they have, even ragged as she's getting. There's a moment as she gazes down towards her, even as her darkness and energy ripples throughout her -- contrasted with Eleanor's very light.
The revelation that Kalisa is Ganondorf's daughter has come out, but for Lunata...
"I'm not one to really like to relate to someone as Someone's Daughter, even if you are the Daughter of the King of Evil. You're a warrior on your own terms, and you're facing us, Kalisa Dragmire! That's all that matters! You, your spear, your power, your own resolve and action..."
She flexes into herself to gather more power, and lets out a roar--
"Ge Ramda!"
And a large, ethereal LICH bursts out from above her shoulders, shrouded in a miserable, cloying purple mist. Large and skeletal, with long bony claws, the lich is...
... dressed in fraying, ancient, bridal regalia?
The Impure Queen has arrived, and she gathers forth a black, brackish energy into her claws; Lunata impulsively charges, Ge Ramda flying at her side as she thrusts her katana inward, performing a selective set of slashes and sweeps to test Kalisa's defences out--
"Now!"
The lich circles around to the spear warrior's back, seeking to attack her in tandem in a pincer attack. Slash and claw come forth, in perfect harmony as Lunata works with her ethereal partner to harry Kalisa! And with each strike, the Medium in the katana shimmers with that same eerie light...
Iyoooo....
Ghosts of all shapes and sizes -- whether it's curmudgeonly little goblins, or demons in the shape of fiery wheels, or a creepy lady with an elongated neck -- emerge from within, turning the onslaught into an all-out brawl!
GS: Lunata Croze spends 3 Combo on Gatling, loading 3 into Gatling! GS: MYSTIC ARTE! Formation! Lunata Croze has attacked Kalisa Dragmire with the Night Parade of the Myriad -Yaoyorozu Yagyou-! GS: Lunata Croze has gained 1 Combo! GS: Lunata Croze gains 10 FP from her Daredevil! GS: Lunata Croze enters CONDITION GREEN!! GS: Lunata Croze gains 5 FP from Gleam! GS: Lunata Croze has completed her action. GS: Link has canceled their attack on Kalisa Dragmire.
GS: Surge added to Link! GS: Link has activated Force Action: Boost! GS: Link has activated Force Action: Lock On! GS: Link has attacked Kalisa Dragmire with Hero's Strike! GS: Link enters a Counter stance! GS: Link has gained 2 Combo! GS: Link's stances have changed from Counter and Hero to Counter and Hero! GS: Link has completed his action. GS: Kalisa Dragmire has activated Force Action: Accelerate! GS: You have activated the Force Action Accelerate! GS: Kalisa Dragmire suffers a terrible blow from Link's Hero's Strike for 292 hit points! GS: Kalisa Dragmire suffers a terrible blow from Lunata Croze's the Night Parade of the Myriad -Yaoyorozu Yagyou- for 326 hit points! GS: Infect! Debuff durations extended!!
<Pose Tracker> Shalune Amira has posed.
Shalune's scooter is absolutely for fighting if the number of times she's deliberately crashed it into things is any indication. It might make you wonder where exactly she keeps getting xenometals with which to fix it, but somehow she always seems to have a ready stock to hand. It's with a yell that she throws herself into Kalisa's personal sphere, though she's smirking with a grin of her own. "Yeah? It's what you get for attacking us on home turf."
At least she's smart enough to get the hell out of the way of Venetia's sorcery as quickly as she can, though it's probably not on purpose and mostly by virtue of being thrown away from both Kalisa and her scooter by the flaring energy that peels off of the former. She does her best to hold on against the buffeting energy - but is torn away from her grip, scrabbling at mid-air as time seems to slow around her.
She lands heavily down at street level with the wave a split-second behind her. Though she hisses in pain and expects more to come, she has the sense to tuck herself into a ducking roll away - though the blast doesn't exactly affect her in the way she was expecting as it washes straight through her, and she manages a scattered moment in its wake to grab a breath and refocus and pat down her uniform and there's a little tiny part of her brain right at the back that is still seventeen and going 'oh no Aunt Hilda is gonna give me hell if I get this dirty--
What the rest of her brain is doing is actually focusing on Kalisa for real this time, because whatever she was expecting, that last attack wasn't it. Indeed, the woman is still calling for Drifters to give her 'everything they've got', and there's a confused and fuzzy moment before Shalune suddenly comes to the realization that that wish might just be... a completely earnest, straightforward wish. In response, Eleanor makes her own fervent, passioned plea for those assembled to show them the power they can bear when they work together.
... ...
...
"Um," calls Shalune, feeling suddenly very deflated as she looks to Eleanor with puppy eyes. "I don't want to rain on the parade or anything, but I think my strongest power is calling Diablo up and asking him to come say hello, and I really don't want to do that given, y'know, past history with Adlehyde? It just kind of feels a bit gauche, you know? And it's really hard to call ancient heavy ordinance the 'power of your friends', like I'd kind of feel like I was cheating her too and honestly Lunie'd be right to tell me off--"
She scratches at her hair, and does her best to rally, even adding the flourish of spinning her staff in her hands to set it at her waist, legs parted. "A-anyway-- look, I'm just gonna use my second-strongest power and then we can save the strongest when it won't traumatize everyone around."
She jolts as energy rolls up her staff - suddenly, her arms are shaking as she tries to hold it steady, teeth gritted as the ancient metals that comprise it creak with effort. "Just remember, this is the power of someone who can't swing a sword if her life depended on it. I should know. I tried for a while," she adds as a coruscating sphere builds and quickly tears itself larger, her eyes wide and bright as she tries to keep it under control.
"--and it's Shalune! Shalune Amira of Adlehyde and a dozen other places!" she roars as the ball of energy her own size fires off, wind tearing in its wake.
GS: Shalune Amira spends 3 Combo on Gatling, loading 3 into Gatling! GS: Shalune Amira has attacked Kalisa Dragmire with Star Crusher! GS: Shalune Amira has gained 2 Combo! GS: Shalune Amira has completed her action.
<Pose Tracker> Seraph Lanval has posed.
"What'm I doin'? 'm fightin'~" Lanval says, incredulous, and then breaking into laughter. "That'sh what ya ashekd fooooor--" He stops abruptly to draw an arm away from where her spear could have slammed down to pin his arm, which is - to a trained eye - a sign of far greater awareness than he lets on. He does not look, at all, like the level of athletic, peak condition combatant, but that is also a secret unto itself.
He's not really bound by the rules of the limits of human anatomy, or even most laws of physics for that matter (gravity seems to be one of the only ones that sticks), kicking a leg up to roll somewhere between gracefully and clumsily up to his feet at the same time, balancing on one foot in a way that plainly one simply cannot were they truly flesh and bone.
With words being given either in praise, shock, or disdain, the intruder whose invitation has been lost to a theoretical forked timeline yet somehow received and promptly answered has a request to show her everything, and Seraph Lanval...
Sits down, and has a sip, as Eleanor offers to show the power of her friends - of what they can bring to bear, when they all work together. Sacred Light shines forth, and rainbowy prisms gleam off the high moisture in the air around Lanval's aura.
Something's a little different when he opens his eyes, slowly, of a bright aquamarine hue. It is filled with... mirth, and someone's joy in scribbling random words in this sentence with an aquamarine ink pen. (what?)
(...Only the first two details are important.)
"Mmmm! If thou art asking politely now... the truth is one could have knocked on a door with grace. Mayhaps one could not be found." Lanval sips of his drinking gourd, of a regal but also light-hearted bearing, like an elemental of simple joy... and water of all forms wonderful and way less wonderful at the same time. So he booms with laughter again.
"Then let us show thy door out!" He booms to everyone, and Lanval snort-laughs some bubbles, which... wait, his very form was kind of warped from bubbly iridescence to begin with. Did a bubble just blow some bubbles? What's going on?
What's going on is that there are bubbles everywhere, and also none of the bubbles show a door. They just show a laughing Lanval, Water Seraph, who might be having fun with Kalisa now that he seems to be on 'the level.'
"Be on your way in good health!" This line is familiar to any who have traveled with him, as the real Lanval wipes his mouth off with a sleeve and casts a sharp gesture off to the side. "Revelry Labyrinth!" Coincidentally, this is the part where all the bubbles violently explode around Kalisa in cascade of watery bursts.
GS: Seraph Lanval spends 3 Combo on Headshot and Interrupt! GS: Seraph Lanval has attacked Kalisa Dragmire with Revelry Labyrinth! GS: Seraph Lanval has gained 1 Combo! GS: Seraph Lanval gains 5 FP from Gleam! GS: Seraph Lanval has completed his action.
<Pose Tracker> Venetia Vuong has posed.
Venetia scoffs without words at Kalisa's comment, lifting her head. Arrogance? Probably! But then she's fighting both Ida and Gwen. And she's -- she's been analyzing what they're doing, Venetia can tell.
That's not a good sign.
Venetia purses her lips. She rests a hand in her Crest Pouch. Eleanor, if she looks, can tell she's shuffling through it. Probably thinking. This is not the sign of someone who is possessed by righteous fury, at least. Her eyes flick around to Lanval's water, towards the Lunies, and she exhales as she finds something she's looking for.
She takes a deep breath as Eleanor's blessing -- as well as Kalisa's -- wash on them. She is about to enunciate a syllable, doubtless the first of many, when Link calls out in his simple and clean voice: 'Tell us where Ganon took my sister!'
Venetia stops.
Her brow furrows even as the Light around her wavers, gently distorting the air as it rises in synch with the subtle flow of energies through any human body, especially one of a trained magician.
"Well," she says, "that changes a few things, doesn't it?" Venetia does NOT pull out that Crest Graph, and instead pulls out the same one as before. A pause as Lunata calls upon the unquiet dead and Shalune speaks rather portentiously (as portentiously as you can when you stammer a little) of her own arts. Venetia's lips purse to the side, and then she states:
"If you can answer his question," Venetia says, "I WILL show you my finest. But for now --" Her eyes widen. "SIMULACRAAAAAAAAAAAA--"
The same shape appears before and surges towards Kalisa. However, it's only apparently able to 'exist' for about two and a half seconds so it won't have time to do more than delivery a single brutal blow and draw backwards --
"Simulacrum Sign!!"
-- and then another one, twisting down to try and smash Kalisa into the ground, whether she sticks, embeds, or bounces (or, to be fair, evades or blocks, you know how it is) --
"Simulacrum Siiign!"
-- and that's when the barrage of punches starts again --
"Simulacrum-- Ssssign!"
-- and continues --
"Simula--crum, SIGN!"
It flickers for a moment, and then the grand finale is a single kick with a leg as equally muscular and hypertrophic as the great figure's arms. The head turns directly towards Lunata, for some reason, before it fades into the air.
Venetia, panting for breath, mutters under her breath: "teach you manner up lah," but it's probably not loud enough for Kalisa to hear.
GS: Venetia Vuong has activated Force Action: Full Clip! GS: Venetia Vuong has activated Force Action: Fury Shot! GS: MYSTIC ARTE! Venetia Vuong has attacked Kalisa Dragmire with Ally of Justice Sign ~AIN'T NO MOUNTAIN HIGH ENOUGH~! GS: Venetia Vuong has gained 1 Combo! GS: Venetia Vuong gains 5 FP from Gleam! GS: Venetia Vuong has completed her action.
<Pose Tracker> Ida Everstead-Rey has posed.
"It was," Ida admits, as Lunata remarks on how awkward the Tournament got. The heiress hasn't even brought up the part where she herself would've definitely been killed by Lady Harken if she hadn't been in the middle of a sorcerous field designed to stabilize wounded combatants. "But, ah--I realize those might be bad memories."
And speaking of unpleasant revelations, the way Kalisa's acting is getting uncomfortably familiar to Ida. She thinks back to the excitement she felt when fighting Joy hand-to-hand, and with her Pokemon. Her threat estimation ticks up a few notches.
Shadow washes out across the battlefield. Ida rushes forward--
"What--?" And then she stops, for a crucial second, her focus turning inward. As Kalisa herself observed, she's intimately familiar with the flow of her own chi, and how external force acts upon it. Kalisa... strips all of that off with some sort of... counterspell? And that's it. Ida's anxiety presses upwards against the floorboards of her mind. What if that's not it? Where's the horrid curse?
Warm, familiar light flows through Ida's body, returning some of the warmth that Kalisa's sorcery stripped away. Ida looks back at Kalisa with new understanding in light of Lunata's words. "You're looking to test yourself, but in doing so, you ripped open old wounds." She cedes the floor to Shalune, kipping back again, settling down behind her fists as she shifts up her stance and waits for an opening.
The Simulacrum Sign happens again, repeatedly. Ida's eyes widen a little in awe as Venetia expresses the full extent of her anger. But she's not idle, even as the enormous, brazen figure does its thing. Ida takes a deep breath, drawing on the lessons she's learned from Claude, and Zed, and Kalve, and Jackie Sayo, and Luisa Rey, and countless others since she started her journey here.
Her fist ignites again, blazing brilliant white-gold. The instant she gets her opening, she lunges, blurring across space. The shockwave of displaced air hits first, then the envelope of chi, then her actual fist, which might as well be a pile-driver for all the force it imparts.
Ida lets out an indignant roar of her own. (Sorry, Lunata's family, but all pretense of subtlety went out the window the moment the ghosts showed up.)
GS: Ida Everstead-Rey has activated Force Action: Full Clip! GS: Ida Everstead-Rey spends 5 Combo on Headshot and Gatling, loading 3 into Gatling! GS: MYSTIC ARTE! Ida Everstead-Rey has attacked Kalisa Dragmire with Unbroken Lotus Fist! GS: Ida Everstead-Rey has gained 1 Combo! GS: Ida Everstead-Rey has completed her action.
<Pose Tracker> Gwen Whitlock has posed.
"Wouldn't you like t'know?"
At least Kalisa seems to be 'honorable' about it all, in that she's straightforward.... ish. Gwen doesn't know what Kalisa is planning by having Eleanor be here. That part of her plan might not be honorable at all.
The creep ill that is summoned by Kalisa's spear plagues Gwen's movements. The courier is forced to briefly hold back, bewildered by the ghastly bride that, she realizes a second later, is from Lunata.
Lunata's own abilities make Gwen glad Lunata is here, even if it's... unorthodox.
"N' what if we ain't so sure what you got planned? Seems real easy t'just goad all us Drifters n' then just steal away with Eleanor." Is that the plan? What even is Kalisa's plan? How does any of this sage stuff work? "... But why does your boss obsess over sages anyhow? Even if you decide t'kidnap Eleanor, that don't exactly stop us from wantin' to clock him across the face whenever he decides t'mess with people. That's the point Eleanor's tryin' t'make here. This ain't the age he's from; we're beyond the age of kings n' prophecies. They may still have their place, but they ain't worth a damn if there aren't people willin' to make them happen. Face it, Kalisa: your 'king's' _just a relic_!"
Gwen may have accused Kalisa of goading them, but she's not above trying to do the same thing. .... And it helps that Gwen... has a bias.
Whether Kalisa falls for Gwen's bait or not, Gwen's going to give her an even stronger punch, this time with her right, gloved fingers curled in around a palm wrapped in steadily brightening electric energy. "'cause we're the Sages of our _own_ destiny here!"
GS: Gwen Whitlock has activated Force Action: Lock On! GS: Gwen Whitlock has activated Force Action: Snipe! GS: Gwen Whitlock has attacked Kalisa Dragmire with Coronal Discharge! GS: Gwen Whitlock has gained 1 Combo! GS: Gwen Whitlock has completed her action. GS: CRITICAL! Gamble: Moderate! Kalisa Dragmire suffers a terrible blow from Shalune Amira's Star Crusher for 327 hit points! GS: CRITICAL! Kalisa Dragmire fully evades Seraph Lanval's Revelry Labyrinth for 37 hit points! GS: Interrupt, Mute, and Poison blocked! GS: FP up! Arcane Font! GS: Kalisa Dragmire has lost 2 Combo from Interrupt! GS: Kalisa Dragmire suffers a terrible blow from Venetia Vuong's Ally of Justice Sign ~AIN'T NO MOUNTAIN HIGH ENOUGH~ for 334 hit points! GS: Break, Disrupt, and Weaken blocked! GS: FP up! Arcane Font! GS: CRITICAL! Kalisa Dragmire suffers a terrible blow from Ida Everstead-Rey's Unbroken Lotus Fist for 353 hit points! GS: CRITICAL! Kalisa Dragmire suffers a terrible blow from Gwen Whitlock's Coronal Discharge for 283 hit points! <Pose Tracker> Kalisa Dragmire has posed.
Kalisa watches as Eleanor summons power directly from the Ley--but not to attack, to invest the power in her friends, instead. "You disappoint me, Sage. Letting others fight instead of taking up arms yourself. No matter."
She sinks in deeper into her stance, readying herself.
Link is the first to charge at her, but his resolve to find his sister, bolstered by the fearsome magic of the sage, proves too overwhelming for her, and she takes a grievous blow, a line of bright red crimson drawn across her arm as she tries to sidestep the blow.
There are, surprisingly, somewhat kind and respectful words from Lunata, who seeks to acknowledge her own skills separate from that of her father's power. There is a solemn nod to her, and a surprisinglyy humble acknowledgement. "Everything I have I have worked for." She settles her stance once more. Lunata charges in, in partnership with Ge Ramda, and blade and claw box her in from both sides. There is a dizzying array of movement as Kalisa attempts to duck and weave through the attacks, to deflect and parry with quick movements of her spear, but by the time she escapes the pincer attack, it's clear to see she lost that excahnge: More long scratches and marks all over her body.
Kalisa is, indeed very earnest in what she wants. Shalune seems to prattle on about her strongest power would traumatize the town, to the point where Kalisa might express annoyance--if she weren't so distracted with the pincer attack. By the time she stumbles out of it it is Shalune's turn to fire, and barely has enough time to throw her arms up defensively before it slams bodily into her. She is flung backwards as the ball explodes on contact, stabbing her spear into the ground to catch herself and make a quicker landing. She looks to Shalune and nods. The power of someone who can't swing a sword. "A power that is not lacking," she says, gravely.
There may have been a critical error made on Kalisa's part. She severely, severely, underestimated Lanval. As she tries to regain her bearings she is suddenly surrounded by bubbles reflecting Lanval's face, and the speech he uses has noticeably changed. One might imagine, if her mask betrayed any facial expressions, a narrowing of the eyes. "You merely play at being a drunkard--" Suddenly the bubbles are exploding all around her but she is a blur of motion herself, zig zagging artfully through them, popping bubbles preemptively with her spear to clear a path, and she slides under the last one blocking her path to freedom. But the effort is clearly taking a toll on her as she appears to catch her breath, chest heaving.
And that moment to catch her breath costs her, as Venetia unleashes with not just one, but many Simulacra--the first catches her unawares, and then she has no chance to cover as she is buffeted by blows and kicks, slammed back and forth until that kick sends her flying through the air. She stabs her spear into the ground once more but loses her grip, sent tumbling down on the ground with several paintful sounding grunts.
She's disarmed. This is probably a good thing.
There are some who have, indeed, realized some of Kalisa's real motives here this day. There are many, yes, but they're not all mutually exclusive, either. And as the others launch their attacks, and Kalisa is thrown clear without her spear, Ida has the perfect chance to strike. Kalisa is dragging herself up to a standing position, lifting her gaze to look directly at Ida as she reaches a hand towards her far-too-distant spear. She tries to move, but the motion is too slow, and the shockwave reaches her far more quickly than she anticipated and she's knocked unsteady, then the chi and the fist hammer home one after the other, sending her reeling back.
She's breathing a lot harder now.
Gwen is trying to goad her, finally, and Kalisa just laughs, thought he sound is painted. "You have no idea what it is I seek," she retorts. "Or just what the Sages represent." She almost seems resigned to accept the last punch, knocked backwards into a crouch as she clutches at her chest, her other hand on the ground to steady herself.
"So... This is your power, Sage... to raise an army. I see now." She may have had the wrong takeaway from all of that. Or maybe she just has a very specific worldview she is filtering things through. She's not about to stick around and discuss philosophy. She heaves herself up to standing, reaching out a hand. Her spear vanishes in a flicker of shadow and reappears in her hand. "I have taken your measure. But be warned."
She brings the spear around to point it at Eleanor once more.
"The future you seek is not the one that will come to pass."
She lowers the spear and the hot wind from before blows through the battlefield, bringing with it dust--no, sand--enough to sting the eyes and cause one to shield or avert their gaze. And when it dies down, Kalisa is gone.
<Pose Tracker> Eleanor Klein has posed.
Darkness may be a weakness of Eleanor's, but it is not, itself, anathema to her. Darkness can be soothing, can be calming, can be part of the Whole, and in that, she sees Lunata mixing both elements between her own powers and Eleanor's, and it is something she can appreciate in the moment.
Well, mostly. Ge Ramda is kind of creepy.
But Shalune calls, and Eleanor calls back, "T-that's fine!" One can imagine, in the midst of her Wise and Heroic Monologue, that she has a little anime sweatdrop. "Usse your second-best power!"
And Link--Link is still defending her. Link makes his declaration, charges forward--and his demand.
"You speak of family, while denying Link his! We won't let up!"
Venetia's Simulacrum Sign is, as always, terribly impressive. As is Ida's roar.
Eleanor may not entirely agree with Gwen, but she likes one thing she says.
And for Kalisa, "Be disappointed as you like. But you won't find them wanting."
Eleanor watches kalisa fight, watches the others, and eventually, what the Sages represent is brought about. Eleanor says nothing.
Instead...
"I do not play at being a 'Hero', Kalisa Dragmire. I know my role. And so does your master."
The future she seeks...
Eleanor averts her eyes from the sand in them--and then looks up. Kalisa is gone.
"...And yet," Eleanor says to the air, "I will seek it all the same."
She sighs, and looks... tired. Very tired.
<Pose Tracker> Lunata Croze has posed.
It feels great, Lunata thinks to herself, how fast the Drifters can band together to face a problem -- even in a situation where Eleanor's specifically recruited a party to identify and resolve a problem. It feels great to witness them at their apex -- as Shalune fires her shotstaff with defiance, and Lanval brings forth a cascade of violent, bubbly rage.
Venetia's own power to bring a powerful shape that brutally plows forth with blow after blow, as the great figure looks to her for ... for some reason! She can't help but give a thumbs-up back at it, before it disappears.
"It's fine, it was just... it had a lot of twists and turns, for a tournament, I suppose!" Lunata explains back to Ida, thinking of how far the heiress has gotten with her own martial arts, too. Gwen speaks of how they're beyond the age of kings and prophecies. ... Eleanor excepted, perhaps! But there's wisdom there, still... in grasping one's own destiny into their hands.
As she comes down from her fiercest attack, Ge Ramda turns to hover over her in a slightly protective position; Kalisa speaks of how the Sage's power is to raise an army. And today is a taking of measures...
And when she disappears, Lunata's bravado kind of disappears as she stabs Orochi Agito to the ground, clearly winded as the lich vanishes from sight.
"... whew... she was an intense one. She'd probably floor me if it weren't for you all being here. Between the Ten Wise Men, Solaris still out there, and now more from the King of Evil himself, we've still got a long ways to go, huh...?"
The waitress takes one last deep breath, which is more for emotional support than anything, given her lungs don't function as an undead. She claps her cheeks together, looking at Eleanor's fatigue.
It's her turn now.
"All right! Victory Lunch's on me and everyone's invited! We've got a slow-cooked beef cheek stew today, with lentils, peas, carrots and potatoes all dressed up with garlic bread on the side!"
<Pose Tracker> Link has posed.
Link draws back as quickly as he strikes, shifting his shield back infront between him and Kalisa, sword slightly down and pointed ahead again. He doesn't drop that stance even as Kalisa is disarmed, watching as attack after attack plies into her. As she speaks not to them, but to Eleanor behind him. It's a few seconds after she vanishes that Link blinks. Then lowers his shield and sword and flops on to his butt.
"That wasn't easy was it..." he says to noone in particular staring at the spot Kalisa had been. "I... I need to go find Red Lion and work more on what he told me to work on. I wonder how Tetra is doing." as he looks up, then flops once more onto his back looking at Eleanor behind him. "Hey! That was awesome! Thank you! And there are some many amazing fighters here. I hope I can be as strong as them! Just like the green tunic'd hero my grandmother always told me about!"
<Pose Tracker> Gwen Whitlock has posed.
"Y'still don't get it. We ain't her army; Eleanor's our friend. She's come to help a lot of us when we were in a pinch, and we're here t'do the same for her. .... Well, that's one reason, anyway." Gwen casts a sideways glance towards Eleanor.
...... oh, yeah, maybe Gwen should clarify a few things so that she doesn't _goad her own friends_. "At the end of the day, I don't care about what prophecies Ganondorf's afraid of, what his standing is, or why he's been targetting my friends. What I care about is making sure my friends are okay."
It's a simple creed, and one that probably will get lost, as Kalisa departs in a frenzy of sand.
Gwen's not sure the danger's over, however.
"... Eleanor, you okay?" Gwen jogs up to Eleanor's side now, a worried expression on her face. "I was worried she might try somethin' sneaky. Like, sneakin' in a thing while you were busy forecastin' another, or, uh." She frowns at the fatigue on Eleanor's face. "Some guardian I am, heh. You supported us all during that fight."
Link was the one who shouldered Eleanor's safety. "Yeah, thanks, Link. I dunno 'bout what hero you're talkin' 'bout, but if they're like you, they must've been pretty swell." The courier fights the urge to ruffle his hair; goddamn it cute aggression. "Just don't bite off anymore than you can chew. Your sis probably wouldn't be happy if you got too banged up by any of Ganondorf's minions." She sighs. "Still, though. You're more able to handle a fight than I was at your age, so I can't really talk."
... She can't talk because Lunata is offering FOOD THAT LUNATA COOKED HERSELF IN THEORY GWEN'S NOT SURE BUT FOOD
Gwen turns to Eleanor, eyes aglow with stars and tears. "V-victory lunch...."