linkingup | FOR THOSE WE HAVE LOST

[ It's a miracle she doesn't crumple to the ground with that, but she's certainly using her staff to keep herself upright.

...Until Mafuyu and Yoon come in clutch to heal her.

She's back at it again with another Bless spell, sending out Makouha towards the four them yet again (7, 13, 4, 19). She misses V'rhas and Huarchefant, but lands hits on Alphinaud and Estinien. ]

[Celeste is right about the redirect theory - all damage done to V'rhas this turn was redirected to Haurchefant. Which means that things are really not going well for the poor guy at this point. Between the spells and the stabs, Haurchefant collapses to the snow, and the dark fire consumes him whole until nothing is left.]

Haurchefant!

[V'rhas's eyes glow red again, and boy does he look pissed! Sure, it wasn't the real version of him, but you all just killed Haurchefant (again). Of course he's mad. Alphinaud also isn't doing so great, so he casts a Diarama on himself while Estinien takes a step back to cast Rakukaja on Alphinaud. V'rhas foregoes the status ailments this time to inflict Maziodyne on Yoon, Argenti, Celeste, Mafuyu, and Kainé (10, 5, 1, 15, 15). The Electric damage is bound to sting for those latter two!]

[ Damn that sure is...happening, isn't it?

Argenti can hear the anguish in that tone and having witnessed Fray's - well, V'rhas'? - memories, he knows why he would sound like that.

But, honestly?

Good riddance. He's just somebody who is in the way of returning his beloved to him.

Argenti then turns towards Alphinaud and tosses a rose at him...only for that one rose to become many, entrapping the healer temporarily in a cage of psionic roses, thorns piercing into him mercilessly. After all, Every Rose Has Its Thorns (19), no? ]

[Hm. With his eyes shifting color...]

Watch his eyes! Use magic when they're red!

[He's taking his own advice... with moderate success. The Maeiga only manages to land on V'rhas (14) and misses the others entirely.

After which, he'll cast a Dia on Mafuyu, because how dare?]

Thank you, Dad!

[Arven closes his eyes tightly as Haurchefant falls and V'rhas calls out to him. It hurts, having seen what he saw...but he also knows that wasn't really Haurchefant. One down, two to go until V'rhas is alone.

He doesn't have too long to think about this though, because--]

Mafuyu!!

[He rushes to cast Diaharan on her, bringing her to full health. He's a concerned boyfriend, okay... But he does follow it up with Diarama for Kaine.]

Arven...

( SOMEBODY is getting so many thank you cuddles later. and maybe even kisses! wow!!! )

I've got you. Always.

[He'll expend all of his energy throwing Diaharans around to keep his love safe if he has to.]

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beathollow - 2024-10-15 02:40 (UTC) - Expand

[ It's time to go full Utility!

Aerith will cast Media on Yoon, Mafuyu, and Kainé first, and then cast Marakunda to lower the defenses of V'rhas, Haurchefant, Alphinaud, and Estinien. ]

Thank you!

[One down, three more to go!! Even if V'rhas doesn't react well, they're only in the way and couldn't even be called a Shadow of the real thing.

After that spill from before, he's ready to make up for it by setting his sights on Alphinaud because that healing is a nuisance. Charging forward, Aaron steps into a pair of heavy slashes with his swords (18) in the hopes of at least stunning him if he can't actually finish the healer off.]

( mafuyu lets out a short but pained shriek at the attack, but-

thank god for a a good friend, good dad and a good boyfriend, honestly. it fades just as quickly, even if she feels the emotional toll.

with an inhale, she casts mapsio again, for medium psy damage to all enemies; it hits v'rhas (19) and estinien (17) but completely misses alphinaud (5). she then casts matarunda again, lowering the attack of all enemies. )

Edited 2024-10-15 02:16 (UTC)

[It's probably a good thing everyone else has the heals covered given how drained Richard is right now. Still, when he hears Celeste's words, he pulls himself together enough to try another Mazio on Alphinaud (18), Estinien (3), and V'rhas (10).

Time to target the healer now...]

[ Oh... hm. That's rough, buddy. But it is a fight, and one of them has to fall first.

Yi Sang will cast Matarunda on the enemies, then follow up with a Maeiga that lands on all three (19, 16, 16). ]

[ God, that hurts, but it's worse for others - he casts Media on Argenti, Celeste, and Mafuyu- ]

Kaine!!

[ Oh, that won't do. Diarama for his injured friend. ]

Edited 2024-10-15 02:27 (UTC)

[Sayaka's practically shaking at all of this. She doesn't want to hurt her brother, nor make him watch his friends die...but...

She swallows it down. This is to save him, because this isn't him entirely, is it?

...She doesn't know, but she has to strike.

Sayaka casts Maragidyne (18, 18, 16), taking aim at Estinein and Alphinaud. She can't attack V'rhas, she just can't--]

[Between the debuffs and all that damage flying around, Alphinaud just can't keep up. He's the sole healer and he doesn't even have time to patch up the damage before he falls.]

Alphinaud, no...

[Estinien doesn't hesitate at all, though; he's already back in the air with another strike, landing on Yoon, Yi Sang, and Aerith (16, 14, 18). V'rhas's eyes glow yellow again, and he flings out debuffs once more - Evil Touch again for that Fear status on Sayaka, Aaron, and Celeste. And then, since that clearly wasn't enough, here's another wave of Electric damage, aimed at Richard, Arven, and Mafuyu (13, 1, 7).

Estinien is definitely showing signs of wear, and the constant jumping is definitely beginning to slow him down. Even as a Shadow, he has his limits.]

[Sayaka startles horribly when the status hits her, and boy, when it hits it hits.

She feels like a scared child right now. She's always been able to only be strong when others were around, and even now, a lot of it was due to Fray's help. Facing him down like this, facing down V'rhas, his student--can she really do this? Can she really do this to him?

...

Well, the dice seem to be in her favor (1), but the body itself isn't actually willing. Shakily nonetheless, she takes aim.]

...I'm sorry, V'rhas. Fray.

[Sayaka enters the fray with her sword drawn, throwing a Dia at Aerith, and wasting no time at rushing Estinein down with a Giant Slice (15).]

Edited 2024-10-15 03:07 (UTC)

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gardenful - 2024-10-15 12:53 (UTC) - Expand

No-!

( mafuyu casts mediarama on yoon, yi sang, and aerith and then amrita shower on sayaka, aaron and celeste. )

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cirquedesang - 2024-10-15 03:30 (UTC) - Expand

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imperiosity - 2024-10-15 03:37 (UTC) - Expand

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destage - 2024-10-15 04:04 (UTC) - Expand

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gardenful - 2024-10-15 12:54 (UTC) - Expand

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idealitas - 2024-10-15 15:06 (UTC) - Expand

[It's... painful, to be cutting down those who were obviously Fray's friends in front of the man who looks like him, but... it has to be done. Especially when their Fray is still lost somewhere in here. The defense, the healing, the assault is all meant to keep them from him.

And, fortunately for the assembled enemies, the fear status does take effect (2), and keep him from acting this turn. (It's like a taste of his own medicine or something...)

Once it's cleansed by Mafuyu, though, he'll be keeping an eye out for the next opening.]

[Hit with fear again, wow!! He feels himself freeze up even as he grits his teeth in frustration, unable to get himself moving (2). If only irritation could replace Fear, alas!!

Thankfully, Mafuyu's clear will hit so he's able to move freely again next round unless he gets status'd again!!]

[ Oh fuck!

Anyway, Rutile's here, and he casts Matarunda on the remaining two enemies to lower their attack. Stop that. ]

[ She’ll be aiming a Diarama at Richard before casting Marakunda to lower the (now) three enemy’s defenses! ]

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ledbythewind - 2024-10-15 15:16 (UTC) - Expand

[After briefly being too disoriented by an electric attack to follow up - she tosses her chin in Yoon's direction in unspoken thanks - Kainé is ready to rejoin the fray (hehe).

What's the catch? she has to wonder. What's going to break open when they've cut down everyone the shadow's used to surround himself, and he's left alone?

Then she thinks, Shut up; they're only Shadows. Cutting through them will open up that door, one way or another. Estinien's jump attacks beguile her, however, because her Lunge (1) isn't nearly enough to stop his AoE dives. Yeah. It's the jump attacks.]

Bouncing pissfrog... get back down here! [Said while pointing her blade in his direction, like that'll make him come back down.]

[Another one down...just one ally of V'rhas's to go. What'll happen after that, Arven's not sure.

He casts Diarama on Richard to top up his health, then flings out a buff: Matarukaja to raise the attack of Aaron, Kaine and Celeste.]