linkingup | FOR THOSE WE HAVE LOST

[With his three Shadow companions down, V'rhas's eyes glow red again. There's no point in prolonging this further, so best to make it quick.

He starts with Wage War on Aerith, Argenti, McGillis, and Rutile. Enjoy the Rage status ailment! This is immediately followed by Maziodyne on Yi Sang, Sunrise, Arven, Mafuyu, and Kainé (19, 15, 7, 17, 11).

You'll also notice that there's a sudden subtle shift - a shimmer of some kind of barrier protecting V'rhas. Though he seems to be mostly unharmed since you focused the vast majority of attacks on his allies, his expression is wild and unfocused.]

You'll pay for killing them - you should have left when you had the chance! Now I've no choice but to put a stop to you!

[Sayaka feels herself flinch at all of this--at watching V'rhas clearly break down in pain, and what can she do? What can she do when she can't even bring herself to properly attack the man who wears the face of her brother? She can't. She can't she can't she can't--

Sayaka casts a Media on Yi Sang, Mafuyu, and Sunrise, and she's shaking. Atropos can't even fire off an Agidyne (4) properly because Sayaka's screwing her eyes shut at this.

She can't do this to him. She can't.]

...Give him...back...

[It's so soft and she genuinely hopes nobody can hear her. It's humiliating. Is this all she can do?]

[Arven does hear Sayaka, and it helps him realize how hard this whole thing must be on her. Boy does he understand.]

Maizono...

[There isn't a lot of time for this, but he puts a hand on her shoulder.]

I know how scary it is to end up in the palace of someone you care deeply about, but we'll get him back. So hang in there, okay?

[Sayaka winds up shuddering a bit, pulling her hands off of her eyes. She's...definitely starting to cry now, admittedly, but the hand on her shoulder doesn't go unappreciated.]

...I'm sorry. I must look so selfish right now. I...I don't want to hurt him. If...If this ends like...

[He likely remembers Jordi as well as she does. The icy grip of fear doesn't even need a status ailment this time, it's just her natural state of being.]

...I'll do my best, though. [...] You can call me Sayaka, if you want. I...Maizono doesn't really fit me, not anymore.

[It's gentle, at least. But she does at least try to smile.]

Sayaka, then.

[He smiles a little and shakes his head. Jordi's palace was so long ago, but that doesn't mean the looming fear has completely dissipated.]

You don't sound selfish at all. Seriously, I felt the exact same way when it was Mafuyu's. I was so, so scared that the God of Conflict was gonna hop out at the last second and snatch her away.

But we can't just stand here and let V'rhas hurt us either. If we're gonna get to Fray, I think we need to get through him first.

Edited 2024-10-15 16:38 (UTC)

(no subject)

destage - 2024-10-15 16:42 (UTC) - Expand

(no subject)

supherb - 2024-10-15 17:08 (UTC) - Expand

[By some miracle Arven manages to dodge all that lightning, but that's only half the battle. It's damage control time...especially with how hard Mafuyu got hit.]

You're the one mocking their memory with those stupid shadows!

[He cries out as Hestia bestows Media on Yi Sang, Sunrise and Kaine. Another Diarahan is cast on Mafuyu. Someone else will need to be on cleansing duty...]

[ Ah, to be a weak wizard, susceptible to things like these!

Maybe if it weren't for the angry buzzing in his ears, he'd recall the voice of his teacher, scolding him or his brother from losing focus and losing their center. A wizard's heart is everything to them, after all...

But he doesn't!

So he runs right up to V'rhas, dagger in hand (wait, isn't he a healer?), and stabs him (16). Not that the damage does anything, you know, due to the red eyes.

Luckily, the Shadow Wall does nothing, either (17). He's safe. For now! ]

[Honestly, it’s totally understandable that he’d be pissed at them killing all his friends. That doesn’t mean Aaron’s going to pull any punches, but he does Get It, so he’ll get down to business instead of commenting on any of it. He really doubts V’rhas wants to hear what they have to say after that, anyhow.

So there’s a slash at one of V’rhas’s arms (12) in the hopes of making it more difficult for him to swing his giant sword. While Aaron’s blades collide with the barrier, it doesn’t seem to do anything (14) and he’s just left feeling mildly perplexed by it but whatever!!]

[ Argenti has been inflicted with rage!

Yes, all he do is focus on the one in front of him, blind to all sense or reason, anger welling up in his throat. The feeling is strange, odd; it is rare that Argenti feels such fierce anger. Logic flies out the window as he talks in short, excited, but passionate bursts.

Perhaps too impatient to keep towards the longer form of words he is ever so fond of doing so - right now, that unfocused gaze is a mirror, gazing into the other man's soul. ]

...No.

I would gladly face the consequences if it meant bringing my dearest Fray back to my side.

I refuse to let anyone stand in my way!

...And that includes you. You say that you are V'rhas, but...

My Fray has and always been his own person. I will make you see reason!

[ Argenti's words are certain, but uh... he completely misses Fray (3), so there is not even anything to consider when it comes to the secondary status effect. Maybe somewhere inside of him still feels subconsciously and inordinarily reluctant to strike at him in the first place. ]

[Yeah... that tracks. She'd be pissed, too, Shadow or no Shadow.]

You wanna get revenge? What'll happen when he decides to get the same back at you?

[But maybe Kainé doesn't fully believe even her own callout... she'd feel the same way, after all. Her attempt to follow-up attack (2) fails, but Aerith gets a rare and uncharacteristic Rakukaja since the damage from rage is no joke, bringing Kainé's utility spell cast count for this entire game to a whopping 3.]

[ Don't worry, he can be cleansing duty if everyone handles heals.

Here's an Energy Shower for Aerith, McGillis, and Rutile. What about Argenti?

...He'll be fiiine, trying to punch his tulpa-in-law.

Also he'll cast a Maeiga (15) that doesn't trigger Shadow Wall's effect, yay. Yi Sang was not blessed with single hit spells so we make do. ]

[ Before she gets cleansed, Aerith tries to attack V’rhas with her staff and give him a whack on the head, but… she misses (10). ]

[ McGillis continues being EXTREMELY useful. By which I mean, he tries to send a Giant Slice at V'rhas and... fails (8).

THIS IS... FRUSTRATING? IRRITATING EVEN. ]

How dare you speak as if you know them!

[Even though he's aware that Arven saw Haurchefant's death, he's still going to be mad about it. It's Argenti's words that get his eyes to flicker, though; red to gold and back again, settling on red.]

Then come at me like you mean it! Stop holding back!

[Actually, more of you need to come at him, so here's another round of Wage War - McGillis, Sayaka, Arven, and Yi Sang this time. This is followed up by him jumping into the fray (heh) with a massive swipe of the sword (not to be confused with a Giant Slice) hitting Aerith, Kainé, Rutile, and Argenti (12, 11, 14, 8).]

[Then come at me like you mean it!

Sayaka hears the words loud and clear. Maybe it's due to the Rage fueling her, but if Sayaka's eyes could glow like Fray's, they'd be positively burning right now. Her eyes are wide and she's not in the business of holding back now.

So Sayaka rushes V'rhas down (15) with the blade Sunrise gave her, avoiding getting double status'd (19), and if anything, she's aiming to clash with him in her rage.]

I'm sorry that we've hurt your friends. I'm sorry for all of this. You shouldn't be made to suffer like this. But you...

You're hurting my friends. No matter what Fray is, and what he's become, we're going to do everything to get him back. No matter what. You don't deserve this, but I hear you loud and clear. So you can hear me, too!

Give me back my brother!!

Edited (icon. this is much better) 2024-10-15 17:07 (UTC)

[ Bad news, Yi Sang is mad. Good news, his attack with his dagger lands (15). Bad news? V'rhas is in Red Eyes ~~Black Dragon~~ Mode so it's ineffective. Good news though is this also doesn't trigger Shadow Wall. ]

If we strike you down, what becomes of Fray? Will he avenge you and your comrades?

[ McGillis would never dream of holding back, regardless of what the dice say. He hits V'rhas with a Giant Slice (11) and remains unaffected by the Shadow Wall (13).

Unfortunately... Red Eyes. Next time, McGillis.... ]

Edited 2024-10-15 17:11 (UTC)

[Welp, all those people getting hit isn’t good. He’s going to toss a Media at Aerith, Kainé and Rutile since this is what the rest of his SP is going to now, and then try to aim another sword swipe (4) at V’rhas only to miss.]

[ Sunrise isn't much of a talker (and in any case, there are people who are in a better position to speak than her), but let it not be said that she isn't serious. ]

You asked for it.

[ Which is why she's firing off a Garudyne (19) and just barely avoids being affected by Shadow Wall (11). ]

[ Rutile is successfully freed of his Rage with a sharp gasp, only to be hit with the sword. Owie...

Doesn't matter. This is a no brainer. Media for Aerith, Kainé, and Argenti. ]

Edited 2024-10-15 17:14 (UTC)

Don't worry about me.

[Which is a little bit of a change from the occasional blase "Hey, thanks" the others occasionally get... but don't worry about it. It's probably fine.]

[Ah, it's Rage Time again. That's just as well for Arven, who rushes for V'rhas once more.]

Dude, I felt your love for him like it was my own! I think I've got a pretty good idea!

[He makes for a swipe of his own with his frying pan, but unfortunately misses (5). Maybe he's a little too blind with rage.]

[It's a lot like earlier. She could do this all day, even with the small heals from others never quite bringing her back even to where she was before the attacks landed.

More because her physical attacks haven't been trustworthy for whatever reason and less because she's observed the Shadow's attack patterns, Kainé tries and succeeds lashing out with Psio (17) instead. Someone had to trigger Shadow Wall first, and, really - why not her (6)?

What could she have forgotten? Well, what could have been so important to have brought them here in the first place? Absent a good reason, dealing with Kainé for the next few rounds might not be much different than handling a feral animal. She is not worried about saving anybody anymore. You come to the Nekiya to kill things, right?]

[ So, someone's still sunken within the depths of the Rage debuff, because of course he is, and he's focused intently on the other man - nothing else matters, no one else matters. All he can think about is bringing Fray back to him, back to his side by force. With his own hands.

He hears nothing, only Fray's words reach him, lancing like a deep arc against his heart, and somehow, against all other reason or logic...the words excite him. Make his heart race and simultaneously fill him with complete and utter ire. ]

You say that, but I think you're the one who's holding back!

[ Argenti shouts back as if this is productive in the slightest. He probably at least noticed the flickering of eye colors since he's only paying attention to Fray now, but it's fine. ]

Return back to me, my dear Fray!

[ He runs straight towards the other man, and in an act of complete tough love, swings an armored fist into one side of his cheek (12), hitting as hard as he can to try to knock some sense into him. Not that it matters, because of the current state of the eye-glowy catboy. But, it seems that whatever dire secondary effects remained untriggered - a Knight of Beauty's mind that's been blessed by Idrila will not easily have memories taken away. Or rather through sheer force of will, Argenti resists the Shadow Wall (19) ]

PHASE 2

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject