linkingup | FOR THOSE WE HAVE LOST

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) ]

[The red eyes make the physical hits do... less than stellar damage, but Sunrise and Kainé get some solid hits on him. V'rhas shakes it off, though his eyes are rapidly flickering between red and gold again. It's Yi Sang's words that seem to have hit him hardest, actually.]

What becomes of... Does it matter? I am standing in your way - you've no choice but to fight me! I'll— I will...

[Well, whatever he was going to say is promptly interrupted by a punch to the face; V'rhas shakes that off too and his eyes glow red again.]

I am V'rhas; your words will not reach him!

[Something about that sounds a little less sure than it probably should be, but don't worry about it, it's fine.

This time he casts Evil Smile on Sunrise, Rutile, and Aaron. Have fun with that Fear status ailment! Another sword slash follows it up, aimed at McGillis, Yi Sang, Argenti, and Arven (5, 12, 18, 9).]

[Richard is really running on empty at this point, but he's still got enough left for a Media for Sunrise, Yi Sang and Argenti.

Then, rather than waste any more SP on casting, he tries for another rapier strike (16), even though he knows that it won't be as effective when V'rhas' eyes are red.]

Are you, though? Fray was brought here as his own construct - the way you said it, it seems like he was physically separate from 'you' after all.

That means that you're made from Fray's mind - you are the reflection in the reflection, aren't you? Fray is part of V'rhas but you are what that part imagines a whole V'rhas to be.

[ This is... probably sophistry, but might as well talk while his Garudyne once again totally whiffs (4). ]

[ Sunrise probably would have wanted to say something, but...

...She is too afraid to do anything right now (2). ]

[ As is Rutile!

Where is Sunrise? Doesn't matter! Rutile is now close enough to pull her into a hug and squeeze her like a teddy bear. ]

[ Surprise! Sunrise ends up squeezing back, mirroring Rutile. ]

Scary...

[Arven gets right to work on cleansing, throwing Energy Shower at Sunrise, Rutile, and Aaron.]

McGillis is right. You're V'rhas, but this is Fray's palace. He's in here somewhere!

[He tries to launch a fireball at V'rhas, but misses again (7). Ugh.]

Why should I even care about that?!

[Reach who, really, is the question there, but in her feral-animal forgetful state, it's not like anything about her yelling is... that weird. Everyone is getting frightened or angry or disoriented or taking huge amounts of damage if their name is Argenti (who she is simply a little too spicy to heal or buff at the moment...perhaps next turn).

She's not really thinking straight, with how it feels like she's been pitched into a fight that doesn't have any meaning, so her next attack on V'rhas is a physical Lunge (13)... that does at least not trigger the wall effect again (15).]

[I forgot extra status effect roll for Shadow Wall so she's also fucking afraid now (2) and I will auto-fail her next turn as penance.]

[he is feeling so attacked by having all these Fear ailments stacked on him. what is this, the third time!!

But he manages to psych himself up (2) for another go at an attack which ends up being a Garula (12) that says fuck you to the barrier apparently (20)??? okay then.

He sees V’rhas is having a bit of a crisis though, so he’s here to help.]

You sound a lot like a guy in denial to me. How about you stop pretending to be someone you aren’t and get your ass back here already? His bed’s [thumb point to argenti] gonna be cold without you there to warm it for him.

[ AARON!!!!!! ]

[uwu he’s helping right]

[ That 18 sure hits Argenti pretty hard, but if anything, through the doubled pain (since he's still inflicted with Rage for one more round) he doesn't care - he can't; one can be forgiven for thinking he barely felt a thing, even if he had grit his teeth momentarily. Adrenaline feels spiked into an unnatural, furious high, intermingling with feelings that make it hard to put his words into something more thoughtful, far more reasonable.

...But, there is something his mind catches a hold of. The sound of a twinge of uncertainty at first in response to Yi Sang's words, and then afterwards (more proof Fray is still there) and even through the fiery rage, Argenti will grasp a hold of it as tightly as possible. He'll force him to recognize who he is, right here and right now! ]

You do not sound so certain!

I remember when I spoke of my undying love for my light of my life, and you blushed. Isn't that proof that my words have reached him? Or...perhaps you are prepared to deny that too?!

[ Anyway, the Knight of Beauty is not thinking of anything specifically logical about this at all, because the next thing he does is go in for a flying tackle (19) to try to force them both into a tumble on the ground (pretend this is either after everyone attacks this round or something, so he is the last one taking action.) This is what happens when you let him be affected for three rounds, he thinks of hairbrained moves like this.

But, in doing so, he triggers the Shadow Wall's (2) effect and even though Rage will finally come to a climax this round, he is now afflicted by Fear (2), which is something he'll deal with properly next round! In addition, there is a memory that has vanished from his head, albeit temporarily:

"The truth is an ugly thing." ]

Edited 2024-10-15 18:11 (UTC)

[The words get him to pause. McGillis's argument in particular seems to be troubling him, but Arven and Aaron are definitely not helping!! His eyes flash again, unable to settle between red or gold and even when he tries to shake it off, it simply doesn't seem to work. His expression is just as uncertain as his words now.]

Enough! If you've time to talk, you've time to act—

[And that's about when Argenti tackles him, and down V'rhas goes. Considering he's not wearing armor, he goes down hard despite the Shadow Wall and he has to blink the stars out of his vision for a moment. His eyes settle on gold.]

You— That isn't—

[He's been incapacitated this turn and is unable to attack! Enjoy your breather while he struggles to free himself from Argenti's weight.]

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