"I don't know how that'll help. I mean, we're talking about a peacock right? I'm sure that Antonio knows how big they are I don't see how that would help." Alessia pointed out. Really, she wanted to look somewhere else. They were all getting caught up with this whole beach thing, so she wanted to move on. What else was there to find here? She sure as hell couldn't see it.
"I'm not sure we are finished here, however I believe that in sieges, one must set up a camp correct?" Vance began. He pointed at an area just above their present position in what looked to be a lightly wooded area. "This could be where they set up. They would need wood for siege engines and such. That to me looks to be a place where an invading force could find such a thing." It seemed that this mission would indeed be changing his perspectives on people. At the start, he had discovered a secret about the man that he wished to keep guarded, which made him feel some sympathy and made him realise that perhaps, he needn't be so hard on the man. Now he was finding that he was a man well versed in military strategy, an area of knowledge where he found himself quite lacking. Naturally, he was completely overridden by Zephyros, Florica and Shani. He sighed. They may be right, perhaps there was no battle. But what happened? This was a sturdy location so what could have happened to cause these people to flee and destroy such a well built structure? In any case, it looked like they weren't going to be able to find anything else, not without exhausting himself using Arc of Time. "If I may suggest, Thea, may we look at the forest above this strongh- Never mind!" Vance grumbled as he ran to catch up with his incredibly energetic daughter. "Maybe we need to look around not just on the beach? I mean, there might be more things to find elsewhere." Alessia said, feeling particularly useless. She looked at the scraps of food, the cores of the strange fruit that they were eating. "Hey, does this fruit grow near the beach? If not, then it must have been brought with them from further in. That means that they must have come from further in. If that helps at all. I guess it was kind of obvious that they came from further in." They were all coming up with great ideas about how everything tied together, but she was missing something. Like, completely missing something. She really, really regretted choosing this mission.
Vance listened intently as Conrad put the story together. He nodded along, and a vivid image of events began to build up in his mind as Conrad hypothesised. It made sense really, and he gained a new appreciation for having a wider sphere of knowledge. Had he paid more attention, perhaps this would have become more apparent to him. He was glad that Conrad was here and was with his senses. Had he not been, then they would have stayed on their mistaken track for longer and may not have realised it at all which would have been terribly embarrassing. Another thing to the white haired man's credit was that he didn't sound patronising. In fact, he sounded rather more like a teacher when explaining things. "I had no idea you were a military scholar Conrad." Vance commented. Thinking more on what he had said, something sprung to mind and he clicked his fingers. "If we assume that you are correct that this was a fortification, and that they could have tried to break this siege to allow people to leave... Where did they go? After all, if people were hiding out here then they must have had somewhere to go. Some plan in mind?" It was at this very moment that she realised that she was utterly useless here. She had never seen anything like this place, nor seen the animals that they were talking about. She knew nothing about tribal-ish lifestyles thought she had heard about them in stories. In short, she had come to the wrong place. She should have really gone with Clara and helped her. Instead, something possessed her to come here. Maybe it was the idea that she would see something different. And well, this was different. But still... She should have gone with Clara really. She sighed as she looked around, trying to think of something helpful that she could do or say. "Maybe they left their spears behind in a panic? Maybe they couldn't get to them? I mean, there are these big marks here. Maybe they were playing and then ran for it from whatever it was? If they did, then there should be marks in the forest somewhere if it's that big." Alessia suggested, attempting to be helpful.
Vance blinked in surprise as the wall was restored, not entirely sure what to expect himself. Looking at what he had done, he could only smile. This was power. To be able to affect the flow of time like this... Remarkable. It had however, shown that he had judged this completely wrong. On the wall was a tactical map, used in the creation of a military strategy. This was not his area of expertise per say, however he could reasonably guess that this was certainly a military installation at the very least. He had seen things of this kind in the history books that he had looked into as a child. "Colour me impressed, this is a very nice emplacement. I didn't think that the army put so much importance on looking good." Vance commented. He examined the tactical map in a little more detail. "Sadly I didn't study military history enough as a child it seems. I can't be sure as to what this is exactly, but judging by the five layers of wall this is a stronghold of some sort. Are any of you more knowledgeable in these matters?" "I'll go with you Aoki." Alessia said, raising her hand. She walked over to the other woman. That would mean being near Ezekiel, however he was here with Evanora's permission and he was here to help. Honestly, she was a little worried about the new magic that had managed to summon a man like Ezekiel here, so she wanted to be there for Aoki if something went wrong. She'd need a friendly face from her own guild if things went wrong and she was a good protector. As she approached, she could see the man whispering something in Aoki's ear. She couldn't make out what he was saying. Hopefully he wasn't trying to lead her guild mate astray. If so, she'd try and stop him. She wouldn't let him cost Sapphire Eclipse another member, even though she didn't know Leviathan that well when he died. "Between the three of us we shouldn't have much trouble with anything."
Vance felt Shani's eyes burning into his back. He wanted to speak to her, but this was hardly the time or place to resolve their conflict. Instead, he returned her stare by making eye contact and giving her a cool nod, as if to say "We'll talk another time". When they arrived at the structure, it felt instantly familiar. He had seen places like this before alright. Some noblemen preferred estates, like his family, however he knew that certain others preferred the more traditional castle to make their home in. He couldn't fault them. It was an excellent defensive structure and it certainly had an effect on the people. Most castles would have walls, which in his mind fit in with the four sides that he could see. Also, the round bases looked very much like towers to him. There was a large central building and to his judgement, this seemed to be the keep of the castle. "It looks to be a castle. Our central building here is the keep and those circular parts, likely towers. Conrad, did you ever meet the Blackflames? They lived in a castle not dissimilar though as I remember, they went for a four tower arrangement as opposed to the six that appear to be here." Vance judged. Thea spoke, and asked a few questions. He thought for a moment as to how best to answer. "Generally, it would depend on what the castle is built for Thea. They were good military fortifications and were adopted by nobles like ourselves to live in because they're impressive. Judging by the brickwork, it's hard to say. I would suggest perhaps, that it is a nobleman's castle. I don't think a military would have put so much time into the aesthetics. The same goes for the material actually. Looking at it now... I believe that Mother and Father considered a material similar to this to add on to the estate but settled for something else instead." Actually... A thought sprung to mind. He wielded Arc of Time. Why didn't he just use that? "Wait - Allow me to try something. I would like to test out Arc of Time." Vance approached the central building and began to look at the interior. A handful of walls stood, but perhaps that would be enough to tell more? He placed his hand on the nearest wall and channelled his magic into it to try and restore this part of the wall. Perhaps if some tapestry or decoration was revealed, that would shine some light on the truth of the building.
It seemed that Conrad was pretty far gone, and he sighed. Apparently he missed the point. He was trying to offer his help generally, not trying to stop him drinking. If he wanted to go sort out a case of raging alcoholism, he'd go talk to Edric because that man drank far, far too much for his own good. It was a wonder people weren't intoxicated from just the smell of him, such was the amount he drank. That aside, he sighed and walked on to the boat. He couldn't help Conrad, not in that state. He would deal with him later when he had his mental faculties more intact. The nobleman turned his attention to other matters. Namely the fact that Shani hadn't looked at him once, and indeed seemed to be avoiding doing so. She acknowledged Thea, but that was about it. He had considered trying to talk to her over the course of the boat trip, but decided against that. It was her ship and she was busy. She could have her crew throw him into the lower decks if he bothered her, so he decided not to. Given how much he had apparently upset the woman, she would probably do just that - If not worse. Instead, he passed the journey looking out to sea on the other side of the ship to irritate her as little as possible. There were better times to talk. If anything went wrong, it would be blamed on him or something obscene. Arriving was a blessing. Even if it was unknown land. That just made it more interesting, he supposed. And somewhere harmless he could begin to experiment with his magic. Vance disembarked swiftly and looked to his daughter. "I shall-" He began, but she had already called for Shani to come with her as she ran off. He sighed. So, it was going to be this kind of day then. He ran after her, aware that this risked him coming into contact with a Shani who was rather angry with him.
He looked at Conrad is surprise as he explained an awful lot of things that he wasn't meant to know as was suggested by the fact that he actually said not to tell him. This was clearly quite serious, and he wasn't sure what to do about it. Honestly, it felt wrong to take advantage of it. He processed the information. It wasn't hard to put together that Tessa had disappeared. There was some sort of relationship between the two of them and it was clearly over. But then he alluded to more. Then he mentioned his sister. He opened his eyes wide when he realised. Conrad's sister was missing? Or dead? That was serious. It seemed that, even worse, he wanted to go out and go after one of them. Logically, it would have to be Tessa. The way he stumbled on, and on, while slurring away as he spoke... It was tragic. There was something about it that seemed terribly sad. So this is what it is like to see a ruin of a good man. He and Conrad didn't get on very well at times, but this just wasn't right. He struggled to find the words to say, but it seemed that he didn't need to. Thea appeared suddenly from where she was standing between he and Shani and embraced the man. She began to sing a song. It was beautiful. All sorts of wisdom comes from the mind of a child. "I agree with Thea. We are not the best of friends, but men like us must look after one another." Vance said solemnly. "We'll do our best to help, if we can. It sounds like you may well need it." "Alright, well, I guess that works." She replied. Her gravity magic and her earth magic could be helpful, but her Requip Magic, what she was really wanting to use, would not be of much use by the sounds of it. Alessia sighed. Maybe there would be better opportunities for it. Actually, perhaps it would be a good thing. She had seen enough death and violence. Maybe sparing a few creatures would be good for her. She wasn't necessarily meant for killing.
It seemed that his quote about being similar to Mikasa before Evanora came in rang true. So, they were both similar then? He laughed. "So that is why we don't get along Mikasa. I always knew I'd hate another version of myself." He joked. At that moment, he stopped because he felt a hand take his chin and he was suddenly looking right up at Evanora's face. Her tone of voice had changed now, and it was comforting in a way. For someone who had been on their own for so long, it was good to hear that someone was going to take him in at last. "If you don't mind me saying so, I don't think I'll feel the inclination to leave for a while." Strange. Something inside him felt deeply relieved. Some kind of reassurance. And that was good. Clearly everything had changed, because Mikasa wasn't snarking at him now either. Instead, she was repeating a line that Evanora must have given her some time ago. He nodded, taking it in. Then, he blinked. Apologise to Calxiyn... Then he remembered. "Oh... Yes. That. I should apologise for that. Incidentally, is she still running around with that mask? It's quite dangerous." "Yes Boreal, it seems to be part of her somehow. Separating it from her is very painful." Evanora answered. "I see. I'll think on it. I may be able to remember something from one of the texts I researched. From what I remember from what I saw it on the island, it's Zeref's handiwork. Someone who worked with him, if not the man himself." Boreal replied. He stood up and brushed himself off. "Now, about that apology..." Boreal walked out of the cell and down towards the Guild Hall. "Have you guys got any traps with you then? If not, then we should really get some before we go out." Alessia suggested. This was entirely unsuited to her, given that her magic very much revolved around harming things. Perhaps using her Gravity magic she could subdue them, and using Earth magic she could create a hole? That could work, but she didn't know if she was ready for that yet.
Well that wasn't the answer he was hoping for. He should have expected that really. It didn't come as a huge surprise now that he thought about it. He was, as far as he could tell, screwed. There were no two ways about it. How would he be able to come up with an answer to satisfy her? The one thing he had wanted to do was to become strong enough to avenge his father and defeat Deliora. As it turned out, he wouldn't even get the chance. Dale and the others had seen to that. He had lost his chance at Galuna. The spell was broken and the resources that it had cost were lost, wasted by Sapphire Eclipse. He looked up at Evanora. "Honestly, I've nowhere to go. My entire reason for learning magic was to become strong enough to destroy Deliora, to avenge my father. That won't be possible now, there's nowhere else to go." Boreal explained. "Now, I've got a lot of magical knowledge, a lot of it obscure and nothing to do with it. I could just go out there and waste myself away, or I could use it for something useful. I'll get more powerful, and maybe one day there will come a time when Deliora rises again and I will be needed to face it. I'll be ready if that day comes. In any case, I don't want to just waste my life away doing nothing with the talent I have. I'm one of the minority lucky enough to have it. To waste it would be an offence to the people that never got the chance." Perhaps that would be enough to convince her, but he wasn't sure. He spotted Mikasa glaring at him from under the covers. He sighed, picked up her pillow and threw it back at her. "Don't throw it at me next time."
"Yes, a little mild teasing that led him to run out of the Guild Hall, incredibly upset, leading to the supposed betrayal that led to your little spate of violence. Yes, Dale and I don't get on well but I plan to try and put our differences aside and if that's not possible, then go to another Guild." Boreal replied, with his arms folded. "And you're not miss perfect either. To me, you seem rather like a bully at this Guild with your attitude. So get real. We're quite similar." With that, he waited for Evanora who luckily appeared after they had finished taking shots at each other. She was still standing up tall and proud like she always did. Honestly, it was very easy to see why she was a Guild Master. The body language she gave off radiated confidence. She seemed almost matronly as well. it was a very conflicting sense that he got from her. That, he supposed, was part of what made her natural for the job. He sat up out of respect. He wasn't going to gain any points by being anything less than respectful about this, he was well aware. He half expected Mikasa to try and sabotage him. "Yes, I asked to talk to you. Thank you for coming to listen." He began. "In short, I'd like to join the Guild. Having been arrested by you on what, three occasions? I've had time to think and well, the only thing I'm actually good at is magic. I may as well join this Guild since I'm in its cells right now. I'd like to hear whether this is possible, and what conditions there would be for such a thing." He didn't make a bad case for himself, he thought.
"You and whose authority? Pardon me Mikasa, but since when were you the Guild Master? As far as I can tell, it's Evanora's decision. Either way, you'l have to live with it. Besides, you lot have hardly given me a chance." Boreal shot back. "Might I remind you that you helped me and that George guy screw with Dale. Where was your vaunted family in that?" He was not going to spend the rest of his life in here, or even a year of it. No, he was getting out of here. If not this Guild, then another one. His only option was to negotiate. Besides, at the rate this was going Sapphire Eclipse was going to become very, very hostile. He caught Mikasa's pillow deftly and couldn't resist a grin. "Thanks for the pillow Mikasa. I hope you sleep well without one." Boreal put it down on top of his pillow and lay down, grinning smugly. "Ahh, now this is comfortable. You ought to try it sometime Mikasa. It makes the whole being arrested experience much, much more pleasant." Yes, it was going to piss her off. No, he didn't care. She was being incredibly rude about him trying to do something with his life and he was going to respond in kind. If she wanted to play the five year old, he'd match her game and beat her. What he did neglect to mention was the fact that she looked like she was pulled out of a roadside bush after having been stuck in there for a night. The state of her hair was laughable, and she had the face to match someone suitably pissed about being dumped in the aforementioned roadside bush. Also white was the colour of innocence and she looked far from it. There was so much that he could laugh about and poke at, but he didn't. Instead, he just lay down on his extra pillow while keeping an eye on everyone in the room so he could move if they tried to attack him or steal their pillows back.
"So, how 'bout that prison food?" Boreal asked, utterly bored in his cell. He was sitting on the ground, having been admitted yet again. They showed no sign of stopping the whole constantly throwing him back in his cell thing. Generally, there was nothing good about this entire situation. He was stuck, unable to escape with Mikasa of all people. He just waited for the point at which she would start trying to gouge his eyes out with those satanic claws that he remembered her having. He also knew that she was let out at night, so that would be the perfect chance. He needed to get out of here and negotiate with Evanora somehow, figure out a way of getting out of this thrice damned cell and out into the real world doing something. Admittedly, there was no place for him out there, but hey. He could figure something out. Actually... Considering his options. There was only one thing he was really good at, wasn't there? And it would probably get him out. He would have to join the Guild. He looked over at Mikasa's psychologist, who also happened to be around. "Do you think you could get a message to Evanora? I want to talk to her about joining the Guild." Caliborn hadn't been assigned to any particular jobs for the moment, so he contented himself with sitting down and observing the various things going on around. He stroked his beard and observed. Calxiyn had summoned her celestial spirit. He smiled. Her spirit was timid and it looked like her enthusiasm had overwhelmed the poor thing. It was nice to see them bonding nicely though. However, despite the good things there were some things that struck him. First of all, Ezekiel's sudden and not entirely welcome appearance, as well as Evanora's conversation with Mavis Vermillion, the first guild master. There was clearly something that he didn't understand quite yet, and he intended to find out. Was this perhaps, one of the secrets available only to the Guild Masters? He felt curiosity welling inside him. He wanted to know what was going on. He liked to think that he was well aware of the events going on in the Guild so that he could look after everyone, but clearly there were some things that not even he knew. What information had Evanora been keeping secret? Edric watched Conrad head off on a mission. The man would have a killer hangover and his head was going to be pounding from what he had been drinking the other night. Hopefully he would be able to cope with it. Admittedly, it didn't sound like a stressful mission so, it should be fine. He sipped a light beer and watched the Guild Hall moving. Sometimes nothing beat people watching.
Dale had done some research, and now it was time to act since the ceremony was over. He had been looking around, trying to get a lead on where Johanna's parents might be, or where they might have disappeared to. Even who they were. He looked through all the resources he could find. At last, at around four in the morning he had managed to find a lead. While flicking through old guild files (That he may or may not have been meant to be looking at) he found his lead. He found an unanswered job request. Namely, a missing person report and the name given - Johanna. While there was no last name, as far as he aware Johanna had no last name. He smiled. Perhaps he had a link to her after all. It was no surprise that neither of them had come across it, considering the age. But it did make him wonder - Had she really been missing that long? This job was 17 years old. That would mean that she was stolen away as a child. In that case... He had to find out. This was possibly the answer that they had been looking for. He rewrote the job, placing it on the job board and waited in the Guild Hall. He also wrote that he wanted an S-Class to come with him, to avoid another headache like Galuna. When everyone arrived, he began to explain. "Thanks for coming everyone. There's not many of you, is there?" Dale looked at the relatively small team. There really weren't many of them at all. It would be fine though. This was just a simple investigation right? "I don't anticipate too much danger anyway. So, while looking around for something, I found this. It's an old job, but I'm doing it for a reason. Essentially, I want to help Johanna find her parents and well, I'd like to ask for your help." Vance felt the heat was picking up in the room and he immediately searched out Thea. Whoever he was, that blond man was causing his daughter a fair amount of distress and he needed to find her. Immediately, he was suspicious. Anyone that Thea reacted that badly to was someone to be concerned about and judging by Thomas' outburst, there was clearly a good reason for it. Apparently they had met this Ezekiel before. He managed to pick out Thea hiding away and rushed to her side, sweeping her into a tight embrace. "Don't worry Thea, I'll protect you. I don't know who this man is, but I will protect you." Vance reassured as best he could, thinking of any way that he could use his new magic to defeat the man, In theory, he could make a contract with him. Yes, that would be the solution. He would make a contract with Ezekiel, one that he could not afford to break. In that way, he would stop the man harming Thea ever again. He would acquiesce to that contract, or the guild would strike back. He was sure of that. "Calm down. I am here, and I am protecting you. You can't be harmed now. Not whilst I am here. I promise." IN THE FUTURE Vance saw that Shani, Florica and unfortunately,Zephyros were calling for assistance. He had told Florica that he would stand with them, and he meant that. There was no other choice as far as he was concerned. The rest looked uninteresting and there was no opportunity to make contracts. Therefore, Vance had to go here. Besides, by doing this he might be able to save some face with Shani because he clearly upset her at the party. It seemed that she hadn't calmed down since. He decided against speaking. It would be a bad idea to make a scene. "I have no questions. Let us get to business." Vance said, all business. When the man approached, he noticed that Conrad was in a shoddy state. He looked terrible and he detected the smell of alcohol. As an aside, Vance put his hand on his noble counterpart's shoulder. "Conrad, you look out of sorts, and I saw you drinking heavily at the celebration. What has got into you? Where is your decorum?" Got it right first time. Totally. Alessia stepped up with Johanna to the briefing that the two men were giving. She counted herself lucky that she wasn't someone who was easily seasick, especially since by the sounds of it there was going to be some fighting, possibly on the water. "So, what's so curious about this island? Apart from the monsters." Alessia asked. So far, they hadn't given a good reason for them to go to this island. Frankly it sounded like a horrible idea. And she wasn't overly pleased with Ezekiel coming. She remembered what he did to their comrade.
Edric is going on the Demon War, like it was meant to be before it all got a bit complicated.
Vance is going to The City of Ember. Alessia is going to The Island Expedition
Name: Kalak Vasher Title: the Scorned One Faction: Order of the Hammer Age: Many. Gender: Male Description: This Personality: Outspoken and cynical with a dry sense of humour, Kalak is not afraid to speak what he thinks regardless of how rude it might be considered. He has no problem with admitting his faults and likewise has no restraint in pointing out the faults of others. Behind the attitude, there is a certain grim demeanour to him and if one paid attention, they’d see the hardened glare of a doomed man on his face. Black and White, his two counterparts have personalities that are pushed upon him. White encourages his softer side and his protective instincts. He becomes kinder, but also sadder. He knows that no matter what, that this is not the real him and at the end of the day he is doomed to die and be consumed. When possessed by White, he aims to do as much as he can before he dies. Black on the other hand, is violent and more impulsive. He is quicker to anger and far ruder than normal. When fighting gives into berserker instincts. Weapons: Kalak carries a Zweihander named Duskfall. The hilt of the weapon has a black and white design spiralling up, which splits off on to the two flat sides of the pointed blade. One side in black, and the other white with a circle of the opposite colour inscribed in the middle. The interior of the circle is coloured the same red as his eyes. Perhaps more importantly, the weapon is cursed – Namely, it carries a personality of its own. As the colouring might suggest, it is fickle in its alignment but both sides agree on one thing: That killing solves all problems. Touching Duskfall is a poor decision, given that the individual shall hear the voices of Black and White, the twin personalities of the spirit of the weapon. Armour: The armour he wears is formed out of the shadow that has infected him as a way of keeping himself alive as healing is not an option. Kalak has controlled it to form a set of armour that covers up to his neck, to hide what is happening to the rest of him. The armour can be dispelled and reformed into more normal clothing however he seldom does this. This so called shadow makes him resistant to inherently dark magical attacks. The armour is black with red and silver highlights. Abilities: Passive: · Shadow Corruption – Kalak was infected with a form of dark magic that takes a symbiotic form, to an extent. Kalak will be able to harness the Shadow’s power at the cost of having it slowly consume him. As he becomes consumed by the shadow he begins to be inclined to use it more and further the spread throughout his body. The greater the shadow’s influence is, the more he is aligned with darkness with obvious connotations. Kalak starts at 10% corruption rating to show the influence it already has. • Demi God – Kalak is naturally stronger, faster and more intelligent than most humans. He has a greater resistance to poisons and toxins than humans. • Level 5 Immortality – This grants Kalak limited powers of regeneration. Scratches and bruises heal in a few minutes and broken bones in a week or two. This also extends to lost limbs, which can regenerate within a month or so. Much slower in combat. Regenerated injuries are shadow corrupted, deepening its hold over him. · Presence Detection 1 – Kalak can detect sources of otherworldly corruption and power similar to his own. Active: · Unlimited Shadow Drive: Kalak’s ultimate spell. By completely giving into and being consumed by the shadow within, Kalak can use the remaining untapped willpower to control himself and the Shadow for a brief time while fully unleashing its power. He speculates that the highest form of this is creating a temporary dimension where he has total control, though this is a theory. Other uses involve intense modification to himself in the real world that puts him at a level above other beings. + 100% Corruption Rating. · Black Chakram: This spell creates a whirling metal disk that strikes the foes around him. + 2% Corruption Rating · Incarnate Duality: Kalak allows one aspect of the curse to take over. White places a greater emphasis on defending. Black abandons defence and goes for straight offence. While massively improving offensive potential, is likely to get wounded. +5% Corruption Rating. · Shadow Lance: Shoots a Shadow Lance at a foe at high speed. Excellent armour penetration capabilities. Single target. + 1% Corruption Rating · Shadow Forge: Creates a weapon made of a similar material to Duskfall he carries. Used as a support weapon and fades away after the battle. Can make a permanent weapon if so desired + 0.5% Corruption Rating/+1.5% Corruption Rating Strengths: Melee combat and midrange fighting with magic. Fairly perceptive. Has a reasonably good understanding of the history of the Demi-Gods from Black and White. Weaknesses: Is constantly harassed by a cursed weapon, leading him to make decisions against his will, the greater the corruption the more he will use his powers as the shadow compels him, corruption and therefore he is damaged by directly ‘Light’ based magic. Cannot be healed by magic. If he is, the Corruption Rating is increased proportionally to the healing magic received. History: Kalak Vasher, formerly Kalak Reaver is the son of Jayce’s presently deceased sister. Kalak was a fairly happy, energetic and easy child. He was quickly hypnotised by the stories of his grandfather, Xanatos and his adventures. The history of his people, the grandeur that they once held, and their majesty captured his imagination. Exploring the past however, was not encouraged yet because of the rising hostilities between humans and Demi-Gods. Kalak paid heed to the advice and settled for something different. From his early life to leaving two months ago, Kalak was a blacksmith. He forged weapons for the Order of the Hammer. In the meantime, he also ensured to put in plenty of training but felt that a Demi-God’s hand in the creation of weapons might be something that could help to turn the tide. As he forged his weapons, he began to imbue magic into his blades, strengthening them and enhancing them. He worked tirelessly, day after day forging weapons. To this day, his weapons can still be found in use because of their quality, recognisable by the likeness of a Stork imprinted on to the weapon. Balanced out with his training with other Demi-Gods and the strength gained from his time in the forge, Kalak was shaping up to be a fine warrior when he eventually decided to step out on to the battlefield. The death of his mother left him grieved and something changed in him a bit. The blacksmith looked beyond his forge and began to trace through the histories that they had available on the Demi-Gods, seeking something. Perhaps a tool they could use for vengeance, perhaps a way to bring her back or even inspiration to fight. Eventually, Kalak Reaver was satisfied and closed up shop, heading out to explore and find a weapon out there. Kalak’s journey led him somewhere some distance away. Using old stories and the help of some researchers, he came up with a vague theory as to where some artifact may have been. He set out for it, hoping that it would be something that would help them change the tide of the war. What Kalak found however, was not what he had expected. After unravelling locks, traps and magic seals, the new age Demi-God made his way into the vault that they had created. He was concerned, considering the strength of the seals that locked away that item. What he found was a weapon. He recognised it as a Zweihander. Eagerly, Kalak approached and claimed it from the slot it held in the floor, but upon doing so, his life was irrevocably changed. Immediately, the entity that was sealed in the weapon lashed out and stuck his defenceless mind. He was only just about able to shield his soul and preserve his sanity. However, whatever it was took up residence in his body and managed to worm its way into his mind. His magic was overtaken and his seals of power were ruined. He soon found himself under attack from the guardians of the vault. He fought hard against the security measures that were implemented against someone taking the weapon. As he attempted to use his magic to defend himself, he found it completely different. After trying to use magic to defend himself, he found that it only furthered the corruption. An attempt at healing a wound he had received only deepened the connection that the corruption was able to form with him. Since healing an injury was out of the question, he formed the armour as a way of protecting himself. His natural regenerative powers began to work against him as the corruption spread through the regenerated wounds. He has wandered since and reluctantly returned to the society of the Demi-Gods where those who have detected his state shun him and others see him as a curiosity. The worst believe that he must be purged as that corruption is a threat to them all. He changed his last name from Reaver to Vasher, believing that as a result of what had happened to him, he was unworthy of bearing the name. On reflection, Kalak speculated that this might have been the result of the spirit's influence. Other: Nothing Name: Carissa Samarost Title: The Huntress Faction: The Shards of Hope Age: 28 Gender: Female Description: This Personality: Carissa is a merciless hunter. She is dedicated to the cause of the Shards. It is said that her fervour is only a little short of Aidan himself. Commanding and confident, she does not suffer fools easily and will refuse to have their mission endangered. She cares for the Samarost family as they are her kin, but most others are considered expendable unless they have proved themselves worthy. She would consider herself worthy of people’s respect and admiration, but not love. Weapons: Carissa’s primary weapon and ace is her crossbow. Loaded with various different kinds of ammunition (Detailed in Active Abilities) it is a deadly tool in her hands. Even without that ammunition, she’s an excellent shot. The weapon has received several modifications as well, allowing it to rapidly reloaded, containing a makeshift revolving magazine and to have greater projectile speed. Furthermore, she carries a twin pair of knives for when the battle gets up close and personal. These are forged with a magical suppression charge in them, allowing her blades to pierce low to medium strength magical defences and disrupt magically enhanced weapons. Armour: Carissa’s armour is enchanted with similar Magic Suppression to her crossbow bolts. While allowing her to stay alive better when fighting the magically potent Demi-Gods, it also has the issue of not allowing her to be healed or magically protected without taking that armour off. It is fairly light armour, allowing her to remain agile in combat. Abilities: Passive: · Magic Protection – The enchantments that Carissa has overlaid her armour with grant her a decent amount of Magic Suppression. All kinds of magic are less effective against her, including healing and other protection magic. While an obvious problem for her, she follows the idea of the best protection not being hit anyway. · Bolt Creation – Carissa can make her bolts and replace them in the field after a battle. This allows her to keep in supply. These can be replaced between battle at a rate of 4 for a short period, 6 for a medium and 10 for a long period. Only one Immuno-Collapse bolt can be created per replacement. Active: · Enchantment – Carissa has, with study and a lot of experimentation, learned to do some enchantments of her own variety. Her enchantments are based on crippling Demi-Gods and in the process, magic users. She is able to apply magic suppression and other assorted types of enchantments to help her with that task. · Magic Suppression Bolt - Does what it says on the tin. This bolt when it hits the target reduces their ability to cast magic and equally, resist it. This is particularly problematic for Demi-Gods and mages alike. Can hold a max of 4. · Paralysis Bolt – This bolt acts like a toxin, sending a signal that slows down nervous system functioning and can potentially even outright shut it down. It is ineffective against anyone with a high toxin resistance. Can hold a max of 6. · Immuno-Collapse Bolt – This is arguably her most advanced tool. Only possessing a limited number due to the difficulty of making them, these are potent enough to weaken a Demi-God’s toxin and poison resistance for some time. These are naturally her trump cards, rarely used. Can hold a max of 2. · Amour Piercing and Anti-Personnel Bolts – These bolts, unlike the others, are not enchanted but simply forged differently. These give her the ability to tackle a wide range of opponents. Can hold 8 of each. · Explosive Bolts – These bolts contain an explosive charge that detonates upon impact. These have enough strength to blast a hole large enough to crawl through into a stone wall. They are not designed for use against people, but if someone was to be hit then it would be damaging. Can hold a max of 4. · Mind of the Killer – More of a technique than a magical ability, Carissa, like the other Blackshards was taught to enter a similar emotionally dead state to Aidan Samarost when she wishes to. While increasing her combat potential, it also blinds her to the needs of the people around her more so than she already is. It also means that any ally rapidly intervening near her that she hasn’t kept track of may become a target. Strengths: Carissa is fast and a skilled marksman. She’s fairly stealthy, but she’s not the best close up fighter. She is the foremost Demi-God hunter in the Shards of Hope. She is knowledgeable about their fighting style, tactics and their abilities. Weaknesses: Carissa is not famous for her close up fighting however and her knives are mostly last resort. While capable (As to be expected from a high ranking Blackshard) she is not the best melee fighter in their cadre. Furthermore, while her armour gives her decent protection against magic if she is hit, it won’t protect her much. She can be callous towards people as a result of her singlemindedness when it comes to Demi-Gods, meaning that she may expend lives, nor does she expect to be disobeyed. Her attitude therefore may lead to conflicts. History: Carissa Samarost is the younger cousin of Jaden Samarost, the current Inheritor. Her relation comes from her father, Corwyn Samarost who is married to her mother, Anette Samarost. Between the two of them, she was raised more happily and less strictly than Jaden was. However, she found herself admiring the way that her elder cousin took to the family role in the Shards of Hope and began to direct her energies towards that as well, much to the surprise of everyone. After being refused the sword, she took up archery instead and began to do well. As she got older, she was allowed into the Shards’ armoury where she found herself a crossbow. Satisfied with the way the weapon handled and how consistent it was, she decided that she merely needed to modify the weapon to improve it. Working with the more innovative people within the Shards of Hope, her own customised crossbow was created as an experiment. Faster to fire and reload, and even more powerful than most weapons, she was naturally proud of it. But she wasn’t ready yet. Ever since the age of twelve she had begun her grilling training regime under the guidance of her Uncle, Jaden’s father. She ramped up the training at the age of 17 once the crossbow was complete. She gave no time for romance, and little more for other people, instead preferring to hone the art of killing. Working with the Blackshards gave her a great deal of experience with some of Sarn’s greatest warriors. She was completely dedicated to the path of the warrior. Eventually she was ready to head out into the world to fight the war. Carissa favoured small operations with a team of people that she knew were competent, targeting individual Demi-Gods and dispatching them swiftly and hopefully, silently. However, one such operation went wrong and led to the loss of most of a team when the Demi-God in question proved to be more trouble than anticipated. Her squad was not lost for naught however, for he was injured and less capable of fighting. Carissa was able to outmanoeuvre and kill the Demi-God eventually, but with considerable difficulty. When she returned, she began to explore options for enchantments and ways of cancelling out Demi-God advantages. That research has led her to have the tools she uses today. After several successful field tests, Carissa has learned how to produce those enchantments herself so that if necessary, she can remake them in the field. Other: None
Vance's eyes widened at the sight of what was happening to Calxiyn, and he realised that he had faced a very dangerous woman. It was miraculous that he hadn't ended up dead. In terms of her raw power now, she was far beyond him. It seemed that Lucia had taken a similar path, though chose Ice over Fire. After all of that, Alisa's turn came as anticlimactic. Indeed, his own was much the same. The others seemed to have been assigned rare and powerful magics, but he wasn't convinced by any of that. None of that it seemed, was destined for him. Instead, Vance had been granted the magic of Dark Écriture, a technique that he instantly bonded with as well as Arc of Time. The very concept of time manipulation had never occurred to him, and the potential of the ability rushed through his mind. Lightning magic, was perhaps the obvious ability. He had lashed out with a lightning bolt, so to gain that as an ability was only fitting. Overall, he was satisfied with the magic that he had received. Dark Écriture was perhaps the one he was most interested in, and it would suit him well in the future. The immediate use that he could see for it was for creating magically binding contracts, with potentially dire consequences for breaking them. He grinned. Perhaps there was potential for synergy with his other magic here,,, So, the lonely young lady with the strange mask that he had accompanied not long ago had acquired a strange magic that he had scarcely witnessed. He of course, knew of the Ice Devil Slayer magic as Mikasa did, but witnessing the emergence of Fire Devil Slayer was quite something. He was happy to have witnessed it now though. That confirmed the idea that there was an equivalent for every element. He wondered now, if anyone was going to show up and ask about it if the word got around. This sort of magic appearing was hardly common. Edric spat out a mouthful of beer when Calxiyn started screaming all of a sudden, then whistled. Apparently the little lass was more than she appeared to be at first. How it came to be that someone like her possessed such rare magic was beyond him, but that wasn't his business. Really, he was just here to get cash, look after the new guys and well, get drunk.
Vance selects: Dark Écriture, Arc of Time (If Possible) and Lightning.
"Alright, we'll have to do some research. I don't know too much about this kind of thing so, I'll have to just take some guesses about where to start." Dale said. He was glad that she wanted his help with it. He felt better than he had in so long. He felt proud of himself, and hopelessly smitten with her. He knew that right now, whatever she asked, he would do. "We're going to find out, alright? We're going to find out who they are, what happened and where they are. I'll do everything I can." As soon as the words left his mouth, he looked embarrassed. The outburst was way too enthusiastic and peppy for him normally. I can't believe I'm coming to pieces and being all giddy now just because of her. Is it that bad? "That magic sounds pretty powerful. I'm definitely not good enough for that. I'm a fighter, not a wizard really. Still, I'm glad they accept me here. This beats the other kinds of fighting groups there are out there. Magical people seem way more chill." Alessia was glad to then hear tha Clara was going to be staying. It was nice to have some familiar, friendly faces around. "What does your Uncle say about Evanora? Is it anything scary? She can be at times. You don't want to make her mad." She was actually quite curious to see what Clara would say here. Perhaps this Uncle knew something about her. She didn't really know Evanora, so it would be nice to learn a little about her. She was so distant from the other guild members, except the S-Class. It was hard not to look up to her. She had an air of absolute power and confidence. "I don't know what I'm going to choose really. I did so badly that the Requip magic that I want will probably be gone by the time I get there." Alessia pouted. Of course Zephyr had to knock me out. Why couldn't I have been put with Ander or something, then it would have been fine!
Dale sat there happily, listening to Johanna talk while her fingers danced over his own. There was something comforting about the feel of her fingers brushing over his hands. He felt a pleasant tingling in his fingers from where she was entwining hers around his. He was actually glad to hear that Johanna wanted to find out what happened to her family. It seemed unfair to him that such a nice girl had to be alone and without a family. Besides, he'd love to meet her parents now. Maybe, if he was lucky then they could be more than this. Looking at her, he knew it. He could only hope that she felt the same, but it was too soon to ask her about that. No, he would enjoy this. "Good question. I've never heard of a place called Paris in my life. And well, whoever they are, they were probably reasonably well off. After all, they sent you that music box. They're not cheap." Dale replied, offering a suggestion for part of the puzzle of her parentage. "If you want Johanna, I'll see what I can do to help you. Since I'm your boyfriend now, I should do what I can to help right?" Dale smiled at her, squeezing her hand in his. Caliborn shook his head and seemed to wake up from some sort of daze, standing in the hall with everyone. Somehow, though he wasn't entirely sure how, he had managed to end up in this party. The last thing he remembered was being in the tower with Mikasa and ambiguously hovering there for a while until he was here. He shrugged. Must have just blanked out. He was probably tired.
