"I see. Thank you, Florica. Your insight is helpful." Vance replied. "And perhaps you are right in certain situations. However, for me it is different. Honour is a beautiful concept but it is only meaningful when your society appreciates it. In my experience, honour is something that you can look at from a distance and admire, much like a painting. That is why in stories, the heroes are honourable and idealistic. It is a beautiful dream. Sadly, nobody seems to appreciate it in practicality. Instead, the honest people get cheated behind the scenes. Don't get me wrong. we all put up our honest faces, however as you know what there is at face value is not representative of what lies behind. That is the problem with honour. We pretend it, for the sake of fooling the people that don't know better and then do as we wish when we're not face to face. Some don't even pretend." He wasn't going to convince her of anything, but he did want to explain to at least someone the truth of what it was like being in his position. Of course, the one to tell was Shani, but he didn't know where to find her. She could be going anywhere and he was certain that she moved much faster than him, not to mention her sizeable headstart. No, he would wait for another chance to present itself. At this point, either fate would have them meet at some point, or Shani herself would seek him out. Either way, waiting was the best option. "In any case, I should occupy myself talking to the various people here. I need to make something worthwhile from this night because so far it has been absolutely wonderful." The sarcasm was painfully obvious.
"I see..." Vance began. What should he say to that? Clearly, this would be a moment where he'd have to decide on where his loyalties lay. They were clearly aware of his reasons, but culturally incapable of accepting him and what he was required to do. What she said was right in a way. Honesty was a good policy, an ideal one. But unfortunately, honest didn't get one far in his world. Ultimately, he would go back to his family and re-immerse himself in his world of politics and the chaos associated with it. He would become the new lord of the Dorian house. He would never make it that far if he was to flag and fail now for the sake of a friendship that could, maybe, be replaced. He felt an unfamiliar sharp pain in his chest as he thought that, but he knew that he had no other choice. The nobility walked their path, whatever it took. It may be that he would have to walk it without them. "I understand. The honour of your people is admirable. Sadly, honour does not truly have a place where I come from. It exists as a mirage to hide behind, but truly it does not exist. The ones that wear their honour with pride and uphold it fall to the ones with no such scruples. I am sorry. There was a gun to my head. I either gave that answer, or risk that woman using it against me. I see now that she is a hateful person, and would most certainly have done so. I can't be what you, or Shani want me to be while I walk my path. I will be on your side when I can. However, I'm not one of you." "Aye, tha' we were." Edric replied, focusing on Conrad again. He reviewed the situation that Conrad had described. His sister was kidnapped by dark mages that appeared seemingly randomly and Conrad was knocked out. There was one thing that seemed pretty important to him. "Now, the thing that strikes me es this- Wha's the deal with tha letter ye mentioned? 'Cos Ee'm thinking tha' the contents o' the letter are pretty important. Who was et from? D'ya ken? Ef et's from the folks who took her, then tha' will give a hint o' their intentions. Might even be a letter from yer sister, ta tell ya somethin'. Since I dinnae ken tha', an' ef ye dinnae ken either, then Ee reckon tha' et's possible." He downed more of his drink and looked at Conrad. "Now, before ye even think o' some kinda quest ta find her, ye need information. Ye en't gonna do her any help if ye dinnae have a clue where yer goin'. Now, as et happens, we did get an omniscient oracle t'other day." Edric grinned. "If she matters tha' much to ye, ye can ask tha'. It'll ken wha' ye want ta ken. With tha' information, I reckon tha' ye can find her."
Something seemed wrong about this. Nessa said nothing at all, but only glanced behind him and laughed. Vance looked around curiously to see what she was looking at. Uh oh. Shani was leaving quickly, and she looked none too happy. I lost. The point was never to take a shot at him personally. What she had done was manipulate him into a position where he was unable to give an answer other than the obvious nobility answer, which would certainly upset Shani. He walked right into the trap. In that moment, he felt a distinct sense of disgust for the wheelchair-bound woman in front of him. He exhaled deeply and looked at her pointedly with a displeased expression. "Kindly avoid using my words to further your own goals. You're impeding my work." Vance spoke sharply with his arms folded. "I can't say that it has been the same to you. I see why you have found no husband. You too, would do well to speak to people below your present status. You might earn a little humility. Remember your place Nessa. You may be your father's daughter, but you are not him. Cause me any further trouble with my business, then I will see your house ruined? Am I clear? I'm sure there are many who would rather the legacy of Lord Thropp be dead and buried rather than to resurface into the hands of an impudent whelp like you who acts far above their station. Now I must repair the damage you've done." Vance turned on his heel, an expression of severe irritation on his face. Even though what he had said to Nessa wasn't exactly true, he still needed to repair the damage. They were a widespread people and he was better off on their side than he was against them. And he did not doubt that if they felt like it, they could potentially do harm. After all, even a peasant's rebellion could be a dangerous thing. With Shani gone, that left him Florica. He cursed as he walked towards her, shaking his head. There were some princesses here. He would make contact with them, see if he could get their support. The intolerable Nessa would never be able to make allies with any of them, so that set him an advantage but he needed to talk to Florica now before Shani did anything rash. He knew she could be impulsive. "I am absolutely fuming." Vance declared as he approached the fortune teller. He lowered his voice so that only she could hear what he was saying. "That damnable woman put me in such a position where in order to save face with the nobility, I had to give a certain answer, but that ended up pissing off Shani. Now, she's stormed off and I'm likely to have lost a friend, and I've precious few of those here. I'd hoped that she knew better, or at least, that you would have been able to see through what I was saying as lipservice to my own people. Alas, it seems that is not the case. Listen, I cannot catch up to her now, nor do I know where she is going. Florica, I must ask you to send my apologies to Shani and tell her that I would like to explain exactly what happened there. I'll meet her any place she chooses. I want to make this up to her. Her friendship is very special to me. Both of yours are, truthfully. It's rare enough to find friends in a place like this, let alone in so different company." The nobleman paced, irritated and his mind whirling. He had to get Florica to do this so that he could quickly establish diplomatic relations overnight all in order so that he could show off by having a set of princesses in his list of contacts, whose influence he could use to make a better position for himself. That would stop Nessa trying anything, and it would cement him as a definitely noticeable person in politics when he got home. After all, anyone that had royalty amongst their contacts was someone to be reckoned with. He straightened his coat. He could be charming when he needed to be. "Time moved faster there? Really? I didn't notice that. I guess I was just too busy." Alessia replied, surprised. I really wasn't paying attention. Time moving weirdly over there... I thought I would have noticed it but apparently not. It was a pretty stressful time, what with the snow fairies burning and the impending threats and all... Not to mention Eric. He was kinda distracting. She felt the pain of his death coming back. "Well, I'm glad to hear that the kingdom is getting back together again. You're going to have to tell me a little about this magic that you mentioned. I need to learn some magic. The selection ceremony is going to be soon. Will you be here for that?" If she could just talk, then it would probably go away, right?
Nessa's attitude was quite stereotypical. It was an attitude that he once had held, however when it came down it, he couldn't imagine Shani, Florica, Zéphyros/ine nor their enigmatic leader actually kidnapping Thea. It just didn't sound right. Shani certainly would not. It wasn't in her character. She was certainly feisty and fiery, but she wasn't a kidnapper. It was at this point which he realised exactly what was going through his head. He was being... Critical? Of his own people? Vance felt disturbed by this realisation. He was starting to think like Conrad might. To think that he would consider the view of the noble classes in a critical manner... It was unthinkable but unquestionably happening. His thoughts drifted to Shani for a moment. What have you done to me...? He couldn't afford to distract himself now, however. There was time to think later. "I hold the safety of Thea in highest regard, but I believe that she is safe here. No harm to her will come while she remains in this hall, of that I am confident. I also do not believe that these people intend her any harm. I've seen no sign of any untoward intentions towards my daughter. I doubt that they would do such a thing. From what I can tell from my speaking to them, they are a community minded people. I do not believe therefore that they have any particular reason to harm her, and I do not believe they have any intentions to harm me either - Do not mistake me." Vance replied. He felt like he should say something in their defence, because Nessa's accusations were simply wrong. "If anything, I believe that they would try and convince me to help them out, but certainly not intend me any harm. Indeed, I found them surprisingly open. Truly, the only way to tell if one does indeed have motives, is to speak to them and uncover it yourself. I have no intention of continuing discourse should they prove false, but for now I am confident that I am making an intelligent and practical decision. Have faith in me Nessa - I know what I am doing and as you saw in the tournament, should the worst come I am more than capable of defending myself."
It seemed that Nessa was not one for pulling punches and he immediately felt himself enveloped in the folds of the political game. He knew immediately that she was out for something, though what... He was not sure. In any case, her pleasantries were forced and she was really out to get him for conversing with Shani. He expected that, to an extent. It looked as if he was going to have to spin things a little. Tell half the truth. "How am I to stop being associated with? They approached me in a tavern whilst I was out with the guild and we conversed. It seems as if they have taken a liking to me and have found me here." Vance replied, telling no lie. That was in fact, what happened. "'Tis only natural really. I am of course one of our class and it would serve them well to ingratiate themselves with me. I suspect there are motives behind the encounter. In any case, there is a certain amount of value to be had. As we are of course, the leading class, it is worthwhile knowing a little of people. It can broaden one's horizons and give them greater understanding by talking with certain of the common folk. It is why Kings may stoop to speak to beggars, to understand them and gain some popularity with the people. Similarly, if my name spreads as a friend to the commoners, then I may gain better service and greater loyalty when I take control. " This was not entirely a lie either. From what he could tell, these people were fairly widespread and as a result if he was known to be decent then they might work better with him on Dorian land once he took his seat as the lord of the family. Certain things however, he did not intend to mention. Including how talking to them was actually refreshing, and upon hindsight it was enjoyable. Then, he launched into his counter. "Say, what is troubling to you? Surely there is nothing about my attempts to garner some popularity and a name for myself with the common folk that would offend you? If there is, please express your concerns. After all, I greatly value the links that I have with my own class and naturally I would not wish to offend the delicate sensibilities of our kind." He said. "Not to mention your own of course. You are a valued friend after all." Now then, how would this be received? He noticed the threat that she made but chose not to respond to it. After all, there was no real danger to his position. If she tried anything, he had the political upper hand. She was a cripple which set her out of the sights of many noblemen, and the prestige which may have belonged to her father was not squarely in her own lap. Indeed, she had failed to find herself a husband as far as he could tell. That spoke wonders for her situation. "Oh, and I almost forgot. How fares the competition? Have you a husband?" He allowed himself a little passive hostility, which was a fair response to her own thinly veiled threat.
"You know actually, sword magic... Sounds good. The whole requip business that Cassandra does looks great. I'm a fighter more than a wizard anyway, so if I can I'll try and get that. It'll suit me I think." Jack actually had a pretty good suggestion there. She hadn't really thought about much before as she'd said, but how she didn't think of something so obvious was beyond her. Though, she was pretty low down the tables so she'd probably never get it. Then, he mentioned what had happened on their previous mission. "Yeah... I do." She nodded. Surprisingly, Alessia found herself agreeing with him. Maybe he wasn't too bad, just strange sometimes. "But hey- Enough about that. We're at a party right? No time for that kind of sad talk!" She said, putting some life back into her voice. This was meant to be a happy event, so she tried to divert the conversation away. "Hey, did you just say that you saw Clara? Here? I'm going to go find her. I want to catch up with her. It's been a while, and she's come all this way." Alessia walked away, knowing that Jack was probably going to come with her. He probably had similar sentiments, though she did desperately hope that he didn't insistent on following her around like a lost puppy all evening. it wouldn't be great having him as baggage that trailed her around. She needed her own space! And how was she meant to talk to anyone if he went everywhere with her? After a little bit of walking around and scanning the throng of people in the Guild Hall, she spotted Clara and hurried over. "Hey Clara, it's been a while!" She called, waving as she approached. What immediately struck her was that she looked every inch the princess tonight. "So, how have things been?" As Vance walked through the crowd towards Dominique, he managed to catch sight of Thea in her distinctive new dress. She had walked across from somewhere and was now talking to... Conrad? He stopped for a moment, watching. The more he looked, the more something became immediately apparent to him. Conrad was not entirely sober. The fact that there was a glass of some sort of drink next to him made it clear enough, but also his complexion. The area around his eyes looked red too. Overall, something seemed off, but Edric was there and would ensure that nothing bad happened. As irresponsible as the drunk seemed, Evanora was not likely to pick someone completely useless and unsuited for their job. He then turned his attention to where Thea had come from, and his eyes opened wide. Nessa?! Here? He supposed he had better go and see what she was here for. Presumably the tournament, but he hadn't got the impression that she got out a lot before so... It was surprising that she would show up here and now of all times and places. He was inclined to think that this wasn't a terribly high class event, but there were at least two if not more royal appearing people that he had spotted thus far and there may well be more. This place... It was quite the interesting network of contacts. If he got the chance, he'd have to try and establish some contacts as well. Having a royal indebted to the Dorians would serve them well indeed. Vance walked over to say hello to the wheelchair-bound noblewoman. "Greetings to you on this auspicious evening, Lady Thropp. Does the prestige of this tournament bring you here, as it seems to have many others?" He asked. Edric nodded to Conrad as he took up business with the young lady for a moment. Whatever she wanted, he had no idea. Instead, he contented himself with watching what was happening in the room. Gexln was now managing the bar in place of Johanna who was spending a little bit of time with her new boyfriend. Then he noticed something. He was trying to get Damian drunk. Uh oh. That boy didn't know how to handle his liquor! "Oi, Gexy! Careful wi' tha' one! He dinnae ken hoo ta handle his drink!" Edric called. If he can get anything down his throat after what happened the last time Damian had a drink I'll actually be impressed.
"Ye dinnae need ta apologise fer et. Ye weren't ta ken, an' yer hardly the ******* tha' did it soo,,, Et's fine where Ee stand at least." Edric replied, taking a drink. Thinking about it made him sad, but at least he was clouding up his head so that the memories didn't rush back in an instant. The more clouded his mind, the better. However, clearly whatever he said did little to assuage the doubts of Conrad. Indeed, he cried anew. Edric beckoned for another drink as he had since emptied his own flagon. He took a swig from the new drink that he was given and then looked back at Conrad. The man's face had changed significantly. He didn't like that look. That was a pissed look. Mixed with sadness yes, but there was an anger burning in those eyes behind the tears. He'd seen himself in a mirror enough to recognise that look from back when everything had happened. Conrad's question took him a little off guard, so he had to consider it. He sipped the drink and pondered the question. "Well, Ee suppose et depends on yer point o' view. There's a justice o' sorts en tha boot... It didnae bring her back. Ee'll ne'er get me Sabrina back an' tha's the truth of et. I wouldnae advise killin' them... Ee was a guard ya ken? Ran aroond arrestin' killers. I en't fond of 'em honestly. Don' goo doown tha' road. I en't proud o' what Ee did, but fer the good o' everyone... T'were fer the best. If ye en't got a good reason, ye shouldnae end a leef. Ye ne'er ken, change es possible. Death es fer the unforgivable. Ye look like a man who'll kill a man right noo, an' Ee'll tell ye this. Rethink yerself. A leef es a heavy burden. Ee'm a lil' too used ta the idea, done et soo much en me line o' work. Scumbags o' course, but tha's not the point. Ye'll be worse fer it." Vance heard Shani call out to him and he walked over to greet her, raising a hand as he approached. "I'm surprised myself. Were I only a little quicker I'd have made it to second. Sadly, Miss Calxiyn as her name appears to be, stole my place." Vance replied. "It can't be helped. No matter, fourth is good. It establishes that I am at least somewhat competent." He was about to order a drink, but then he noticed. Thea had gone elsewhere. He looked from side to side. She was definitely gone. Where was she? She disappeared so quickly. Damn kids. Always moving around so fast. She always disappeared like that. Keeping track of her while they were shopping earlier was nightmarish. The only way of tracking her he really had was the excited squealing if she found something that she liked. Honestly, if he hadn't insisted on only getting one, she would have come back with more than one dress. It didn't help that he didn't want to upset her because Thea's tantrums usually caused a rise in ambient heat temperature at the very least, if not worse. "In any case, there's a surprising turnout. Plenty of people like me here too. I ought to take a look around." He continued. As he explored the room with his eyes, he spotted someone who looked very regal. "By the Gods, is that a princess? How does the Guild know royalty? I'm certain I've seen her at one of the King's functions... You'll have to pardon me, I've got a lot of socialising to do. I'm sure you know how it is. I'll make my way back here later Shani, I promise. I'd happily wager you can drink most people here under the table and you've probably got the stamina to go longer than the rest." Vance immediately began to move towards the Princess-looking lady, who also seemed to be accompanied by a princely looking figure that was far, far too close to the matronly lady next to him to be decent. Am I misunderstanding something here or...? He smirked. With a bit of luck, he could make an impression on a princess. He had a wealthy daughter already. All he needed was the bride and then his father would be happy. The curse would present a problem, but he was Vance Dorian. Besides, they had that Oracle here now which could provide an answer to that particular question. Yes, it would be a dishonour to poor Nessa, but that was done. He doubted that she was here, and she had probably all but gotten over it. He had. It was the way of things. One couldn't be held up for too long. And that contract was ridiculous anyway. This was the real world. Such things only worked in idealism and well, frankly, nobody could blame him. In fact, the fault lay with the person who made the contract for making such a ridiculous condition in the first place!
Dale was at a loss for words as to how to describe the rush that he got from that singular kiss. It was all the answer that he needed. As soon as their lips met, a surge of euphoria the likes of which he had never felt rushed through him. He wanted to kiss her again, to hold it longer, but as soon as their lips met the room erupted in noise and he became vaguely aware of Johanna and Evanora's cheering. Johanna pulled away, and he mimicked the gesture, his cheeks tinted red. He looked up at Evanora. "Really, Evanora? Now?" He said sheepishly, though he doubted it was heard because of the noise. It wouldn't surprise him if she lip read, or could just guess what he said. He looked over at Johanna and took her hand with a nervous smile. "Hey, we'll find time later away from everyone else. It's not like we're in a rush right?" Silently, he felt a little both embarrassed and irritated. He'd have enjoyed a couple more kisses. It was a shame that they didn't get to enjoy them yet. He said it. They'd find time for each other later.
His smile widened and Dale covered her hand with his other one. His heart was racing. There was no turning back now. He was going to tell her straight up now. "Yes, it is. It's definitely what I want. I- I've been in love with you for years! How couldn't I want this?" Dale leaned forwards as if to kiss her, hoping that she would return it. Finally, I'll be able to be with Johanna like I've always wanted! He hoped that she could get past her nerves. Maybe it was unfair to do this in public, but he just wanted to kiss her. He wanted her to know, and he wanted to just have that at long last. He had been so worried about this. About George, about everything. About Johanna not loving him like he did because they had known each other for so long. And his hopes it seemed, weren't going to be dashed. He had wished for this chance for so long...
She was quite taken aback by the response that she got. At no point when this conversation did she expect the man in front of her to suddenly explain his entire purpose in life. Really, it was sort of touching. And it was noble in a way - A wish to protect the people that he liked and cared about. How he came to care about anyone in the guild was beyond her. She hadn't seen him talk to many people, let alone get along well with them, and yet he still cared? She agreed in a way. Ever since the mission with the child, and then Prince Eric... She knew that she had to protect people. So he wasn't too dissimilar to her in that way. He was quite unsure of himself though. Why does he think that I'm totally sure? I mean, I guess I'm not unconfident but I'm not like, 100% on everything. "Well, you can help. I mean, you were there when we defeated the Mouse King so, it's not like you didn't do anything. That entire thing... All of that went wrong. At least Clara got out okay." She replied sadly, remembering the sight of Eric burning away, and then dying in front of them all. "And thanks for trying to talk to me normally." He's not so bad then, I guess. "I don't know what I'll do honestly. Besides, it's not like I'm going to have a lot of choice. I'm down the bottom so I'll see how it goes. How about you?" When the tournament was over, he wasn't overly surprised by it. Lucia was a ridiculous beast in combat. He didn't fancy his own chances against her, especially by the time she had become more powerful. She was certainly a force to be reckoned with. By the time the feast came around, he wanted to find Johanna. She had been busy with the tournament healing after the whole trial business was over, so they couldn't really talk at all. He spotted her sitting down and quickly approached, smiling at her. He took a seat beside her. "Hey Johanna, how are things?" He asked, feeling some nerves. He remembered what she had said... It was wonderful. He wanted to talk more about what happened, but his nervousness was keeping him from speaking a little. Eventually, he managed to speak. "So remember, what happened on the stairs...? Does this mean that...?" Dale looked at her hopefully. He could only hope that she said that she wanted to be his girlfriend. "We can't go home yet Thea. Home is where I live... And they don't want me back yet. I too need to learn... Then I can be of use to my family... Until then Father won't welcome me home..." Vance explained. He began to breathe in and out deeply in an attempt to make himself come round. The veil of exhaustion and the ringing faded a little, so he could focus better. "Thea, even if you have hurt people... You're going to have to redeem that. You're right, you've already done it. But that doesn't mean that you can't do something different with yourself now. I will find you someone who can train you to control yourself soon. We'll find a way to get you to be accepted here. I know that you're not happy now, and I'll do what I can. But for now... For now we'll deal with things here. It isn't so bad. Alright?" He squeezed Thea and leaned back, putting his hands on her shoulders. "I will do something for you. I promise." Vance stated with an undeniable certainty and confidence. He really needed to rest up before the feast later. Otherwise he would be ridiculously out of his mind. At this moment, it was likely best to let him express himself. If he pushed Conrad at the wrong time, it was more likely that he would become either more upset or violent. Obviously, neither of those two were good results and certainly not desirable. He allowed him to rant, taking in what he was saying. He wasn't surprised that Vance made things difficult. From his limited experience with the man, he could tell that he could be abrasive. Edric put a friendly hand on his shoulder to try and give him some comfort. "Aye. Lady, the man needs ta calm doown a lil' fer tha' mooment. Ee'll send 'em o'er when he's en a better state." Edric said to Florica when she tried to call Conrad over. Then, he returned his focus to the troubled man in front of him. He took a deep breath. This was going to be... Interesting at the very least. "Yer mooment o' peace'll coome, just give et some time. Tha's the way o' leef ye ken? T'en't easy en the slightest. Ya earn yer happy endin' after an arseload o' hard work an' a bit o' sufferin'." "An hoo might Ee ken this? Ye see... Ye lost a friend. Ee lost me wife." Edric answered. "She was killed en front o' me. Killed the ******* who did et, but she didnae come back. Ne'er do sadly. Ee've spent soo much time drinkin' ta forget evrythin' an' coope, I cannae deal with et meself. Kinda ****ed meself en tha' respect. Ee can noo longer goo back. Soo, don' start on the drinkin'. Ye'll never go back fer the fear. An' I ken tha' Ee done ****ed up, but there en't any gooin' back fer me. Fer ye though, Ee reckon et's worth makin' sure ye don' end up like me. Ee'll wind up an' ole drunk on tha' street doin' magic fer a bit o' cash to buy drink with one day Ee reckon. Ye dinnae want ta end up like tha'."
"It's alright Thea... People have... Forgotten about that. It doesn't matter now..." Vance replied, squeezing Thea more tightly as she sobbed into his shoulder. "I doubt that she's out for you... She just has some... Brutal methods of fighting. I suppose. I don't think that anyone here would target a little girl." Not that his thinking at the moment was A-Grade on point. His head was pounding like a tribal drumbeat. Over, and over again. The sound clouded his mind. After the tournament, he would have a rest before the inevitable celebration beforehand. He'd need one. Surely they'd give them some time to prepare? He put a hand on Thea's head and ruffled her hair. "Listen... Everything will be alright. I'll protect you. I'm your father. You don't need to hurt anyone. Please, try not to. Leave that... To me. Hurting people... That's not a child's work." Vance continued, speaking on roughly the right topic but saying any words that came to mind. "Soon, once I've got all this magic stuff done... I'll take you home. We can leave all of this... All of these strange people... Behind. Won't that be good? Going back to normal? At times like this, I miss the politics." If it was a political duel, he'd have out manoeuvred everyone here and be in first place, rather than fourth. At least he would get some accolade from this. He doubted that it would do anything to improve his standing here. Likely people would think that he was undeserving. Maybe it would have been different if he had just been able to beat that pink haired girl...
Vance woke up groggily and touched his head. There was a little blood, but that was quickly wiped off by the face floating in front of him. He squinted to try and see better, unsure of who it was. It didn't feel like what he expected a man's hand to feel like. It was a much softer touch meaning... He shrunk back in panic, wide eyed as a result of the previous thought. He quickly came to his senses, and saw it was Johanna, the healer. How hard did that damn girl hit me? He got up and smiled at Johanna. "Thank you, Johanna. I suppose I should go see her." Vance replied, getting up and walking away. Walking was not a very good description. As soon as he started to walk, he noticed a blinding pain in his temple and the world tipped as he fell on to his knees. He grunted, gritting his teeth and standing up again. With blurry vision he attempted to find his adopted daughter. He managed to spot a small figure in a dress not too far away. He had to get to her. With uneasy steps and staggering from the dizziness, he struggled his way across the stadium to reach his little girl. His ears were ringing a little, but he could make out her distress nonetheless. Eventually, he managed to stumble his way over and blissfully fell to his knees next to Thea. He pulled the little girl into a hug. "Thea, I'm here now. It's fine. You don't have to worry about anything. I'm here..." He said, feeling a little distant. That hit... Really screwed with my head... I need to pay her back for that later... Somehow... "Don't worry about anything... Or me... I'm around... Now. What's wrong Thea...?"
It seemed that his attack did catch her by surprise, but it wasn't enough. Worse, he had managed to screw up his magic. He sighed and looked up at her. She cast magic, luckily, meaning that he was knocked to the floor by a gust of wind. As he stood up, he knew that there was a chance! If he could just get up and attack -! No such luck. She was surprisingly fast. "Heh... I didn't think I'd make it this far. Nevertheless... Looks like I was too slow." Vance said before the weapon slammed into his temple and knocked him unconscious. His final thought was simple. I hate women. Every single one I've met here is crazy.
The semi-finals... Getting this far was an achievement. He had managed to overcome all that had joined with him as far as he could tell, and proved himself the most superior. He smiled. These were clearly the most worthy opponents remaining. They were certainly formidable enemies from what he had seen. He was faced off with the surprisingly strong pink haired girl that he had spotted. This was probably a better result with the switch. Beforehand, he would have certainly lost. Lucia was... Beyond his ability. Her skill with those throwing knives was far, far beyond what he could possibly survive. Tougher people than he had survived the onslaught. However, this would not be easy. Only this girl stood in the way of reaching the final where he could fall to Lucia's skill. He highly doubted her opponent could win. In any case, he had to deal with the woman in front of him now. She professed to have no idea who he was. His face became a half smile. "Of course not, I have only recently arrived. And I say the same to you. Whichever of us goes forward will need it." Vance spun his staff around. If he was taken out in one hit like the others, then that would look very silly. However, it was part of his plan. She didn't appear to be an experienced fighter, so the display should hopefully distract her and perhaps knock an attack off centre, giving him time to strike. He charged his magic through his staff and as she drew closer thrust it out in front of him to spear her in the chest. Vance used Binding Strike! "Ee can tell ya this much - Ye dinnae want ta be thinkin' aboot wha' ye should an' shouldnae ha' done. Ye reckon tha' ye shoulda gone with her? Ee don' think so. Ye'd ha' oonly risked gooin' somewhere ye en't happy with. Yer here, an' relatively happy wi' it. She wasnae soo. Similarly, ye might not ha' been as happy gooin where she went." Edric pointed out, taking another sip of his drink while the man slammed his anger out on the table. He winced a little. He was getting a tad frustrated and it wasn't going to go anywhere good. There were a couple of tears running down Conrad's face. It was sad, to see someone in a state like this. His face adopted a look of concern and he put his drink down. "Take et from me - This en't what ye need ta do. Keep it soober. Ye'll get o'er yer issue quicker. This-" He gestured to his drink. "This is fer fun. 'Cause if ye goo doon the route o' drinkin' ta forget, ye'll never stop. An' tha' just en't good." After all, he subscribed to that method. He knew full well that it was bad. Maybe one day he'd stop running. But that was not this day. "Tha' same goes fer drinkin' ta make yerself feel better. Works fer some. T'en't workin' fer ye though. Et's makin' et worse, soo lay off tha drink. Where yer goin', ye doon't need et." "Well, apology accepted." She replied. There was an awkward silence for a couple of moments while she figured out something else to say. She looked down at the ground as if it would give her some hint as to what to ask this guy who had always acted weird around her. It offered no answer, so she decided to take on the problem of his strange behaviour. "So, what's with you? What's going on in your head? Every time you've talked to me, you've always been awkward, or weird, or a little creepy to be honest. Why can't you talk to me normally? Like other people do?" I'm not very diplomatic, am I?
"I'll happily get out of here and do the whole adventuring thing, just need to get a couple of things sorted out here first. Can't leave two strangers in the Kaer." Derrick replied. She was quick to point out that he hadn't really been about the rules. That was true enough, he supposed. He was pretty lax about them. He looked into the room, at Tatiana. Crippled, unable to go anywhere. It would be irresponsible to just leave her here though. Then she went on. He held his hands out in protest. "Hey now, you're overreacting a little. I haven't changed that much, I just haven't felt as if I had something to be responsible for. I'll meet you in Oxenfurt or something once this issue at the Kaer has been dealt with. Alright?" He exhaled. Sometimes, she really did overthink things. She seemed to have taken this whole thing that a sign that he wasn't the same person. Of course he was. He'd just feel bad about leaving a crippled woman in here with nobody to take care of her because it was quite a distance from the wider world. "It's not that we haven't noticed you, you came back at a bad time. There's been a lot of unfamiliar faces around and more than a few people who shouldn't be here passing through. That's all. Don't get too worried about it, alright?" Derrick said, trying to be reassuring. She always falls back on the blinking "You don't know what it was like, I lost my parents!" thing. It gets really, really annoying after a while. Not that he let those thoughts show on his face of course. That would be rude. "Very well, get some rest whenever you feel like it." Delaine replied. Clearly there was nothing else she could do for him, and Ellyn didn't seem to want anything. For now, she just returned to doing her job, serving drinks to the others patrons while Corwyn cooked. Hopefully the strange customer wouldn't be any more bothersome than he already was. And maybe he learned a thing or two about how business actually worked so he didn't waste anyone else's time in the future.
"Well, you're forgiven I guess. I was probably kinda stressed at the time so, that's why I got mad at you." She replied. This guy... He was being weird. Like, something just seemed awkward about him. He really doesn't know anything about talking to people, does he? He did nothing to help his case in the next sentence. She took a step back, surprised, and gave him a look of incredulity. "Seriously, what is with you? You come over, apologise for something and then tell me I can go talk to someone else? Is there something you wanted to talk to me about?" She held her arms out at her sides and shrugged at him. He was just impossible to understand. He had never once behaved normally towards her. Why? Did he just not... Get people? It was like he was thirteen and trying to talk to his cr- Oh no. It better not be. Edric spotted something going on. Two people talked, one of them one of the new guys at the Guild and the other left, a woman. Whatever it was, it looked back. Neither of them seemed happy and the man, whose name was Conrad as he remembered, walked away and started drinking. He stood up and quickly informed Cassandra of what he just saw before walking swiftly over. He could see that something was wrong and well, usually, they needed to chat about it. He crossed the grounds quickly and as he reached the area where Conrad was seated, he called for the same stuff he was having. The S-Class sat down next to him and picked up the drink that was quickly delivered to him, taking a quick swig. Damn, strong stuff. It's a serious one then. "Hey, Conrad. Wha's botherin' ya? Ee can spot a man drinkin' ta forget from a mahle aweh." Edric asked, taking a sip of the drink that he had been given. "Somethin' happen with ya friend? Et didnae look good from where Ee was sittin."
Vance yelped as he received an incredibly painful blow to the face, but he continued on with his attack. He had no idea how he managed it, but the strike kept going and when it connected, he felt the surge of magic as the attack did its work and seized the warrior up. Gaius couldn't attack. He grinned, knowing that this was his chance. He had stepped past the man with his first attack, so Vance channelled fire through the staff and spun around leaping towards the other man with his staff outstretched and a half smile etched on his face, confident that this was his victory. Vance used Fire Dash.
"Well fought, Veilen." Vance said, before walking away. Inside, he was soaring. He managed to defeat the first challenge, but fate was not on his side. His eyes opened wide when he saw Gaius stepping up to face him. His face visibly blanched. "Oh, bugger. Say, up for giving me a chance to land one hit?" As the man closed in, he knew that the situation was a little hopeless. He had to try. He took a deep breath and charged at Gaius, channelling magic into his staff for a stunning attack once more. He would not face defeat like a coward! Vance used Binding Strike! COME ON RNGesus favour me!
FINAL ROUND! FIGHT! Conrad used Strike Raid! It did 23 damage, but with Strength, Speed and Weapon it did (16 + 20 + 7) 66 damage! Conrad failed to stun (6) Alisa's defence reduced 25 damage for a total of 41 damage. Alisa used Barrier Surge! It did 12 damage, but with Defence and Weapon it did (21 + 5) 38 damage! Conrad failed to dodge! (7) His defence reduced but 1 damage. FAREWELL NOBLE CONRAD! YOU FOUGHT WELL! Conrad HP: -6/60 (+6) MP: 95 (+25)(+4) Weapon: Arming Sword (2-10) +0 SPD Abilities: (4)Strike Raid: Throw your weapon at the enemy. Stuns some foes. (25 damage+Stun) (4)Strike Raid: Throw your weapon at the enemy. Stuns some foes. (25 damage+Stun) (2) ~Blitz: Perform a series of jumping attacks. (1-5 attacks, 5 Damage) (2) ~Blitz: Perform a series of jumping attacks. (1-5 attacks, 5 Damage) (4) Stop: Manipulate time to bring surrounding enemies' movement to a complete halt for 1 round of combat. (15MP) (4) Sliding Dash: Punish faraway enemies with a charging attack. (18 Damage) Items: Crystal Crown: Raises max HP, max MP, max AS, Strength, Speed, and Defense. Also enhances Magic. (+6, +4, +1, +3, +2, +2, +2) Titan Chain: Significantly raises Strength and Speed (+4, +3) 500/200 Gem of the Diamond Spirit(AKA Orb of Blingity): (+2 magic, grant Bright beam, 1-15, stun(low chance)) Strength: 12 (+7) Speed: 15.5 (+5) Defence: -0.5 (+2) Magic: 5.5 (+4)Alisa HP: 5/94(+9)(+3) MP: 100 Weapon: Tower Shield +5DEF -2 SPD Abilities: (2) Barrier Surge: Cloak yourself in a barrier and rush the enemy. (15 damage + 1 Round invulnerability) (4) Fire Surge: Rush the enemy while a ring of fire revolves around you, hitting targets multiple times. (30 damage + 4 continuous fire damage) (2) ~Blitz: Perform a series of jumping attacks. (1-5 attacks, 5 Damage) (3) Esuna: Recover from all negative status effects. (10MP) (5) Binding Strike: Perform a spinning attack that binds some foes. (20 damage + chance to stop enemies attacking for a turn) Items: Gaia Bangle: Significantly raises max HP and Defense (+9, +3) Omega Arts: Raises max HP, Strength, Speed, and Defense. (+3, +3, +3 +3) Angel Bangle: Raises max HP and Defense. (+6, +2) Strength: 17(+3) Speed: 4(-2)(+3) Defence: 15(+5)(+3)(+3)(+2) Magic: 6 Skyheart's Self Knockout Stage Round Three: Aoki used Fire Surge! It did 23 damage, but with Speed and Magic it did (6 + 18) 47 damage! Charlotte's defence reduced 10 damage for a total of 37 damage! Charlotte used Wishing Edge! It did 27 damage, but with Strength, Speed and Magic it did (14 + 1 + 7) 49 damage! Aoki's defence reduced 1 damage for a total of 48 damage. FAREWELL AOKI! JUSTICE SHALL OVERCOME! Aoki HP: -38/70 (+6) MP: 120 (+14) Weapon: Keyblade: (4-10) -1 SPD Abilities: (4) Magnet: Use magnetic force to pull enemies in and deal continual damage.(6MP, 12 damage over 2 turns) (1) Cure: Recover a small amount of HP. (8MP, 5HP Healed+Magic Stat) (4) Stop: Manipulate time to bring surrounding enemies' movement to a complete halt for 1 round of combat. (15MP) (3) Esuna: Recover from all negative status effects. (10MP) (4) Sliding Dash: Punish faraway enemies with a charging attack. (18 Damage) (4) Fire Dash: Cloak yourself in fire, then punish faraway enemies with a charging attack. (25 damage + 5 fire damage continuous for 2 turns) Items: Lucky Ring (x4) : Brings luck to the wearer, increasing the drop rate of items/Jewels (20% enhanced Drop Rate) Crystal Crown: Raises max HP, max MP, max AS, Strength, Speed, and Defense. Also enhances Magic. (+6, +4, +1, +3, +2, +2, +2) Strength: 17(+3) Speed: 4(+2) Defence: -1(+2) Magic: 17(+2) Charlotte HP: 7/105 (+9)(+9)(+9)(+6) MP: 75 (+4)(+10) Weapon: Hand and a Half Sword (5-14) -1 SPD Abilities: (5)(+1) (3)Esuna: Recover from all negative status effects. (10MP) (2)Barrier Surge: Cloak yourself in a barrier and rush the enemy. (15 damage + 1 Round invulnerability) (4)Fire Surge: Rush the enemy while a ring of fire revolves around you, hitting targets multiple times. (30 damage + 4 continuous fire damage) (6) Wishing Edge: Strike an enemy three times with a single jumping attack. (15 damage per hit) (6) Thunder Surge: Cloak yourself in electricity and rush the enemy, stunning foes on contact. (35 damage + Stun) Items: (6) Gaia Bangle: Significantly raises max HP and Defense (+9, +3) Gaia Bangle: Significantly raises max HP and Defense (+9, +3) Gaia Bangle: Significantly raises max HP and Defense (+9, +3) Crystal Crown: Raises max HP, max MP, max AS, Strength, Speed, and Defense. Also enhances Magic. (+6, +4, +1, +3, +2, +2, +2) Strength: 16(+3) Speed: 1(+2) Defence: 5(+3)(+3)(+3)(+2) Magic: 5(+2) Lucia used Poison Edge! It did 27 damage, but with Strength, Speed and Weapon it did (26 + 32 + 20) 105 damage! Aias' defence reduced 10% of damage for 94 damage, and his defence reduced 34 damage for a total of 60 damage. FAREWELL AIAS! TURTLES NEVER PROSPER! Lucia HP: 16/70 MP: 80.5 Weapon: Throwing Knives (2-5 knives dealing 1-5 damage) +1 SPD Abilities: (4)Strike Raid: Throw your weapon at the enemy. Stuns some foes. (25 damage+Stun) (4) Sliding Dash: Punish faraway enemies with a charging attack. (18 Damage) (1) Cure: Recover a small amount of HP. (8MP, 5HP Healed+Magic Stat) (6) Wishing Edge: Strike an enemy three times with a single jumping attack. (15 damage per hit) (6) Poison Edge: Perform a jumping attack that poisons some foes. (30 damage + 6 continuous) Items: Titan Chain: Significantly raises Strength and Speed (+4, +3) Titan Chain: Significantly raises Strength and Speed (+4, +3) Titan Chain: Significantly raises Strength and Speed (+4, +3) Titan Chain: Significantly raises Strength and Speed (+4, +3) Titan Chain: Significantly raises Strength and Speed (+4, +3) WAND OF ****ING LIGHT BITCHES Strength: 13 (+20) Speed: 18.5 (16) Defence: -0.5 Magic: 5.5 Aias HP: -40/80 (+27) MP: 95 Weapon: Gangsta Chain: +8 defense, -2 speed Abilities: ~Blitz: Perform a series of jumping attacks. (1-5 attacks, 5 Damage) Barrier Surge: Cloak yourself in a barrier and rush the enemy. (15 damage + 1 Round invulnerability) Fire Surge: Rush the enemy while a ring of fire revolves around you, hitting targets multiple times. (30 damage + 4 continuous fire damage) Cure: Recover a small amount of HP. (8MP, 5HP Healed+Magic Stat) Quick Blitz: Perform a jumping attack. (5 Damage) Items: Gaia Bangle: Significantly raises max HP and Defense (+9, +3) x3 Shard of the Clay Spirit: The power of the redoubtable Clay Spirit carries forth in this shard. +3 Defence, Reduces 10% of incoming damage before defence is applied Holy Brick of Antioch: This brick, left behind by the passing of the Clay Spirit grants the user its strength; +4 Strength. It can be thrown at an enemy for 1-50 damage. If the user spends a turn saying a prayer, and counts to three before throwing, it deals 1-100 damage) Strength: 14 (+4) Speed: 1 (-2) Defence: 17 (+20) Magic: 5 10 - Conrad - The speedy son of the Eisenstein fought well, but he just couldn't go fast enough. 9 - Aoki - Aoki lasted surprisingly long against Charlotte, but giant keys don't make great weapons and Charlotte was fuelled by JUSTICE!!! 8 - Aias - Aias, the giant turtle was felled at last! In probably the most ridiculous display of damage and tankiness, we see that stupid burst damage is the route to victory!
The battle continues, only a handful remain in this stage. Who will survive? Who will die? Let's find out! Conrad used Strike Raid! It did 21 damage, but with Strength, Speed and Weapon it did (13 + 18 + 5) 57 damage. Alisa's defence reduced 28 damage. Barrier Surge halved this for 14 damage. Alisa used Fire Surge. It did 27 damage, but with Speed and Magic it did (4 + 5) 36 damage. Conrad failed to dodge (4). His defence reduced 2 damage, for a total of 34. It's all to play for in the next round with no clear victor! Conrad HP: 32/60 (+6) MP: 95 (+25)(+4) Weapon: Arming Sword (2-10) +0 SPD Abilities: (4)Strike Raid: Throw your weapon at the enemy. Stuns some foes. (25 damage+Stun) (4)Strike Raid: Throw your weapon at the enemy. Stuns some foes. (25 damage+Stun) (2) ~Blitz: Perform a series of jumping attacks. (1-5 attacks, 5 Damage) (2) ~Blitz: Perform a series of jumping attacks. (1-5 attacks, 5 Damage) (4) Stop: Manipulate time to bring surrounding enemies' movement to a complete halt for 1 round of combat. (15MP) (4) Sliding Dash: Punish faraway enemies with a charging attack. (18 Damage) Items: Crystal Crown: Raises max HP, max MP, max AS, Strength, Speed, and Defense. Also enhances Magic. (+6, +4, +1, +3, +2, +2, +2) Titan Chain: Significantly raises Strength and Speed (+4, +3) 500/200 Gem of the Diamond Spirit(AKA Orb of Blingity): (+2 magic, grant Bright beam, 1-15, stun(low chance)) Strength: 12 (+7) Speed: 15.5 (+5) Defence: -0.5 (+2) Magic: 5.5 (+4)Alisa HP: 46/94(+9)(+3) MP: 100 Weapon: Tower Shield +5DEF -2 SPD Abilities: (2) Barrier Surge: Cloak yourself in a barrier and rush the enemy. (15 damage + 1 Round invulnerability) (4) Fire Surge: Rush the enemy while a ring of fire revolves around you, hitting targets multiple times. (30 damage + 4 continuous fire damage) (2) ~Blitz: Perform a series of jumping attacks. (1-5 attacks, 5 Damage) (3) Esuna: Recover from all negative status effects. (10MP) (5) Binding Strike: Perform a spinning attack that binds some foes. (20 damage + chance to stop enemies attacking for a turn) Items: Gaia Bangle: Significantly raises max HP and Defense (+9, +3) Omega Arts: Raises max HP, Strength, Speed, and Defense. (+3, +3, +3 +3) Angel Bangle: Raises max HP and Defense. (+6, +2) Strength: 17(+3) Speed: 4(-2)(+3) Defence: 15(+5)(+3)(+3)(+2) Magic: 6 Skyheart's Self Knockout Stage Round Two: Aoki used Wishing Edge. She attacked twice, dealing 12 damage each time (Total 24). With Strength, Magic and Weapon it did (20 + 19 + 8) 71 damage. Charlotte's defence reduced 14 damage for a total of 57. Charlotte used Barrier Surge. It did 13 damage, but with Defence (15) it did 28 damage. Aoki's defence reduced 1 damage for a total of 27. Aoki has somehow managed to weather the storm of Charlotte's attacks and her defences are greatly reduced. If she keeps up this present performance and manages to hang on, then Charlotte could well be overcome placing Aoki higher in the tournament! Aoki HP: 10/70 (+6) MP: 120 (+14) Weapon: Keyblade: (4-10) -1 SPD Abilities: (4) Magnet: Use magnetic force to pull enemies in and deal continual damage.(6MP, 12 damage over 2 turns) (1) Cure: Recover a small amount of HP. (8MP, 5HP Healed+Magic Stat) (4) Stop: Manipulate time to bring surrounding enemies' movement to a complete halt for 1 round of combat. (15MP) (3) Esuna: Recover from all negative status effects. (10MP) (4) Sliding Dash: Punish faraway enemies with a charging attack. (18 Damage) (4) Fire Dash: Cloak yourself in fire, then punish faraway enemies with a charging attack. (25 damage + 5 fire damage continuous for 2 turns) Items: Lucky Ring (x4) : Brings luck to the wearer, increasing the drop rate of items/Jewels (20% enhanced Drop Rate) Crystal Crown: Raises max HP, max MP, max AS, Strength, Speed, and Defense. Also enhances Magic. (+6, +4, +1, +3, +2, +2, +2) Strength: 17(+3) Speed: 4(+2) Defence: -1(+2) Magic: 17(+2) Charlotte HP: 44/105 (+9)(+9)(+9)(+6) MP: 75 (+4)(+10) Weapon: Hand and a Half Sword (5-14) -1 SPD Abilities: (5)(+1) (3)Esuna: Recover from all negative status effects. (10MP) (2)Barrier Surge: Cloak yourself in a barrier and rush the enemy. (15 damage + 1 Round invulnerability) (4)Fire Surge: Rush the enemy while a ring of fire revolves around you, hitting targets multiple times. (30 damage + 4 continuous fire damage) (6) Wishing Edge: Strike an enemy three times with a single jumping attack. (15 damage per hit) (6) Thunder Surge: Cloak yourself in electricity and rush the enemy, stunning foes on contact. (35 damage + Stun) Items: (6) Gaia Bangle: Significantly raises max HP and Defense (+9, +3) Gaia Bangle: Significantly raises max HP and Defense (+9, +3) Gaia Bangle: Significantly raises max HP and Defense (+9, +3) Crystal Crown: Raises max HP, max MP, max AS, Strength, Speed, and Defense. Also enhances Magic. (+6, +4, +1, +3, +2, +2, +2) Strength: 16(+3) Speed: 1(+2) Defence: 5(+3)(+3)(+3)(+2) Magic: 5(+2) Vance Dorian used Fire Dash. It did 25 damage, but with Speed and Magic it did (4 + 25) 54 damage. Veilen's defence reduced 7 damage for a total of 47 damage. Veilen was KO'd! Vance Dorian HP: 70 (+9)(+9) MP: 115 (+45)(+1) Weapon: Improved Mage’s Staff (5-13) Abilities: (5) Aerora: Call on the wind to lift enemies into the air and send them flying for more damage. Stuns many foes.(10MP, 16 damage on impact+Stun) (5) Thundara: Strike surrounding enemies from above with stronger lightning that shocks other nearby foes if it connects.(6MP, 12 damage, deals half to other targets) (4) Fire Dash: Cloak yourself in fire, then punish faraway enemies with a charging attack. (25 damage + 5 fire damage continuous for 2 turns) (1) Cure: Recover a small amount of HP. (8MP, 5HP Healed+Magic Stat) (2) ~Blitz: Perform a series of jumping attacks. (1-5 attacks, 5 Damage) (4) Sliding Dash: Punish faraway enemies with a charging attack. (5) Binding Strike: Perform a spinning attack that binds some foes. (20 damage + chance to stop enemies attacking for a turn) (4) Stop: Manipulate time to bring surrounding enemies' movement to a complete halt for 1 round of combat. (15MP) Items: Magic Armlet: Slightly raises max MP and Magic. (+1, +2) 155/50 for 310 Magic Armlet: Slightly raises max MP and Magic. (+1, +2) 155/50 for 310 Silver Ring: Increases Magic and slightly increases maximum AS (+1, +1) 160/50 Jewels Gaia Bangle: Significantly raises max HP and Defense (+9, +3) 400/200 Mage Earring: Highly increases maximum AS and magic (+2, +4) 620/300 Jewels Gaia Bangle: Significantly raises max HP and Defense (+9, +3) 400/200 Phoenix Coat: The hide of the Sapphire Phoenix empowers and protects the wearer, bursting into flames at the will of the wearer. (+3 Magic,+ 3 Defence.) Grants Ability - Flames of the Phoenix: When the wearer is attacked, the attacker takes 5-15 damage. Strength: 11 Speed: 4 Defence: 1(+9) Magic: 16(+1)(+2)(+2)(4)(+3) Veilen HP: -33/75 (+3)(+6) MP: 98.5 (+1)(+10) Weapon: Decaforce Sword (4-12 damage) Abilities: (5) Aerora: Call on the wind to lift enemies into the air and send them flying for more damage. Stuns many foes.(10MP, 16 damage on impact+Stun) (1) Cure: Recover a small amount of HP. (8MP, 5HP Healed+Magic Stat) (2) ~Blitz: Perform a series of jumping attacks. (1-5 attacks, 5 Damage) (5) Binding Strike: Perform a spinning attack that binds some foes. (20 damage + chance to stop enemies attacking for a turn) (4) Fire Dash: Cloak yourself in fire, then punish faraway enemies with a charging attack. (25 damage + 5 fire damage continuous for 2 turns) (5) Thundara: Strike surrounding enemies from above with stronger lightning that shocks other nearby foes if it connects.(6MP, 12 damage, deals half to other targets) (6) Mine Shield: Set 5 explosive magical traps which stun enemies when tripped. (12MP, 10 damage per mine) (4) Magnet: Use magnetic force to pull enemies in and deal continual damage.(6MP, 12 damage over 2 turns) (4) Stop: Manipulate time to bring surrounding enemies' movement to a complete halt for 1 round of combat. (15MP) (3) Esuna: Recover from all negative status effects. (10MP) (6) Wishing Edge: Strike an enemy three times with a single jumping attack. (15 damage per hit) (6) Fire Strike: Cloak your weapon in fire and perform a spinning attack at the enemy. (weapon damage + 7 continuous fire damage) (6) Thunder Surge: Cloak yourself in electricity and rush the enemy, stunning foes on contact. (35 damage + Stun) Items: Energy Bangle: Slightly raises max HP and Defense (+3, +1) Magic Armlet: Slightly raises max MP and Magic. (+1, +2) Angel Bangle: Raises max HP and Defense. (+6, +2) Strength: 11.5 Speed: 2 Defence: 3(+1)(+2) Magic: 24.5(+2) Lucia used Strike Raid! It did 25 damage. With Strength, Speed and Weapon it did (33 + 33 + 4) 95 damage. Aias' Shard of the Clay Spirit reduced the damage by 10% (85). His defence reduced it by 37 (48) and then Barrier Surge halved it for a total of 24 damage. Aias takes 6 damage from Poison. Aias used Fire Surge. It did 27 damage. With Speed and Magic it did (-1 + 4) 30 damage. Lucia has only one chance of survival... Her dodge roll. Can she dodge the Fire Surge? Is the only hope for defeating the titanic Aias about to be snuffed? Lucia rolled... 9! She dodged and took no damage! Lucia HP: 16/70 MP: 80.5 Weapon: Throwing Knives (2-5 knives dealing 1-5 damage) +1 SPD Abilities: (4)Strike Raid: Throw your weapon at the enemy. Stuns some foes. (25 damage+Stun) (4) Sliding Dash: Punish faraway enemies with a charging attack. (18 Damage) (1) Cure: Recover a small amount of HP. (8MP, 5HP Healed+Magic Stat) (6) Wishing Edge: Strike an enemy three times with a single jumping attack. (15 damage per hit) (6) Poison Edge: Perform a jumping attack that poisons some foes. (30 damage + 6 continuous) Items: Titan Chain: Significantly raises Strength and Speed (+4, +3) Titan Chain: Significantly raises Strength and Speed (+4, +3) Titan Chain: Significantly raises Strength and Speed (+4, +3) Titan Chain: Significantly raises Strength and Speed (+4, +3) Titan Chain: Significantly raises Strength and Speed (+4, +3) WAND OF ****ING LIGHT BITCHES Strength: 13 (+20) Speed: 18.5 (16) Defence: -0.5 Magic: 5.5 Aias HP: 20/80 (+27) MP: 95 Weapon: Gangsta Chain: +8 defense, -2 speed Abilities: ~Blitz: Perform a series of jumping attacks. (1-5 attacks, 5 Damage) Barrier Surge: Cloak yourself in a barrier and rush the enemy. (15 damage + 1 Round invulnerability) Fire Surge: Rush the enemy while a ring of fire revolves around you, hitting targets multiple times. (30 damage + 4 continuous fire damage) Cure: Recover a small amount of HP. (8MP, 5HP Healed+Magic Stat) Quick Blitz: Perform a jumping attack. (5 Damage) Items: Gaia Bangle: Significantly raises max HP and Defense (+9, +3) x3 Shard of the Clay Spirit: The power of the redoubtable Clay Spirit carries forth in this shard. +3 Defence, Reduces 10% of incoming damage before defence is applied Holy Brick of Antioch: This brick, left behind by the passing of the Clay Spirit grants the user its strength; +4 Strength. It can be thrown at an enemy for 1-50 damage. If the user spends a turn saying a prayer, and counts to three before throwing, it deals 1-100 damage) Strength: 14 (+4) Speed: 1 (-2) Defence: 17 (+20) Magic: 5 10 - Veilen - After being paralysed by the nobleman's first strike, the wizard was unable to respond to his second! However, at least he made it into the top 10, so his excellent tactical performance in the first round was not wasted!
