Sherridan looked down, an expression of confusion and surprise plastered on his face. She had his legs and he couldn't move for fear of hurting the child. But he was not her father, she was clearly mistaken. She had a wide smile on her face. He didn't want to crush her hopes and dreams, but he wasn't her father and he had to tell her. He couldn't go around pretending to be parent. He hadn't a clue about how to raise a child anyways. Nor was he married or anything. "What? No! I'm not her father!" Sherridan exclaimed. He looked over at LeNoir. "And she certainly isn't my wife. No offense meant to you LeNoir but I don't think you're my type." Sherridan tried to gently push Emily away and put his hands on her shoulders, looking straight into her eyes. It was unfortunate that he had to do this, but he didn't have much choice. The girl needed to find out eventually what was happening. He didn't want to have to drag her around for a while and then tell her later that he wasn't actually her dad. Better that he get this problem sorted out now and then deal with this Ray person. He seemed to be a protector of sorts but undoubtedly he would be wondering why his charge was crying. If it came down to it... He had a feeling that there was going to be some sort of trouble. Great. Just what he needed with Dane and the questionably heroic Hero hanging around. "Listen to me, I don't know you. I've never met you in my life. And I'm not your father. You should go find your protector, Ray was it? He'll look after you."
Cassandra saw the other players pitching in to help with the boss fight. She continued opening fire on the Goblin King, meanwhile a couple of Elites had branched off and were coming for her. However, Joan of Arc was waiting. As the pair of Goblins moved in to strike Cassandra, she swept in. The first Goblin was taken in the throat by her banner-lance. Then, she swept La Pucelle around and hacked the head off the second. She sliced her sword through the air, sending the Goblin blood spraying over the ground. Meanwhile, Cassandra looked down at the Sniper Rifle. She could do more with what she had, she was sure. There was a second spell she could use with this. "En Jolt!" Cassandra cast the spell, empowering her Sniper Rifle with both Lightning and Ice. Surely this would be enough to cause great harm to the enemy. She continued to open fire, slamming shot after shot into the head of the Goblin King. She would get the Most Damage Dealt reward if there was one, and hopefully the Last Hit reward if there was one too. She needed to have the best if she was going to survive out here. Julius and Cú Chulainn swept through the Goblin Artillery lines, running across bridges that connected some of the towers to kill the Goblins waiting in there. However, Julius noticed that there were far, far more valuable opponents below and that others were dealing with the artillery now, With that done, there was more useful things that Julius and his Summon could do. "Better fighting this way!" Julius shouted, leaping off the tower and spearing one of the Goblin Elites in the process. Cú Chulainn followed soon after, running two through with Gae Bolg. Unwilling to be outmatched by his summon, Julius twisted and hacked the head off a second Elite with his blade. Plenty of progress was being made. For that, he was glad. This fight would be over relatively soon. Hopefully he could find some willing recruits for the Legio Julius here. He wanted to find some relatively high levelled people to form a basis. Curse that Alpha. If he hadn't gone off and formed his own Summoned Knights then this would have been so much easier. To think that he would go for such a petty power play!
Sherridan nodded at Tessa. It seemed that what LeNoir said had troubled the poor girl but it was for the best really. When it came down to it, something just didn't seem right about the whole situation. "I would tend to agree. Just be careful whatever we do. I don't like anything about this situation." Sherridan agreed and went to walk over there. Then he felt a small figure walk into his back and speak a name. 'Ray'. It had to be the girl. He looked around at her and looked down. She was far, far too young to be somewhere like this. "I'm not Ray, and I'm not entirely sure what you're doing here to be honest with you. You look rather too young to be involved. Leave this place now, while you can. It's for the best." He looked around, keeping an eye out for any signs of this 'Ray' she spoke of. That's her protector I guess. Well, I'm not him. She has to leave, but I can't escort her out of here. I don't even know where she's meant to be.
∞ Name: Axel Steiner ∞ Gender: Male ∞ Age: 29 ∞ Appearance: Here ∞ Personality: Quiet and a fairly neutral person. Axel is intelligent but reserved, keeping to himself. Often seems tired and gives off a sense of being dissatisfied with something. ∞ Goals/Dreams: To find satisfaction and success in life. ∞ Weakness: He is poor at making small talk, only speaking on things that take his interest. This does not include most people. ∞ Fears: None that he can identify. He simply does not care. ∞ Strengths: Axel is efficient and intelligent. He has practised different martial arts and while not being an expert at any, can use techniques fairly well. ∞ Blood Type: A- ∞ Star Sign: Scorpio ∞ Hobbies: Running, reading, writing, Sudoku. Karate and Judo. ∞ Career: Author ∞ Bio: Axel was born into the lower end of middle class families. His father was a struggling businessman fallen on hard times and his mother's café was not much better. He was met with difficulties in school from better off people, however he soon carved out a space for himself. School bullies began to leave him alone, considering him far more trouble than he was worth after he was able to fight them off effectively. He pursued martial arts after that, aiming to become a competent fighter to deal with any other future issues that may have arisen. Eventually however, he turned into a bully of bullies which led to him finding some trouble from teachers across school life as a result. As he neared 16, his mother left leaving him with only a busy, struggling and stressed father as a parent during a crucial time. Crippled by a bout of depression caused by her departure, Axel was unable to score good enough marks in exams. His father, having higher hopes for his son was disappointed and made his disappointment well known, causing a great deal of resentment between the two of them. The resultant gap could not be bridged before he turned 18 and despite his father's protests Axel left home and his father behind at 18 when he also began smoking. He worked as an accountant for a while, trying to make some money for himself and was able to rent out a cheap flat in a rough neighbourhood. He initially faced more trouble with the local gangs, however they soon left him alone after two hitmen sent to extract money from him as protection money were found beaten up and terrified outside his house. This incident left the small time gang unwilling to approach, especially since he had insinuated that he possessed a fairly powerful assault rifle. Despite the risk, it paid off and Axel was left alone. During his time as an accountant, he began to write a book about his experiences with his mother leaving and the sudden change of his father towards him and sent it off to a publisher. Surprisingly, it was given positive reaction and after a year of reworking and editing it was released. Axel continued to stay in the same cheap room, however it was much nicer kept than any other house nearby. The gang had been arrested since and the legend of the quiet defender of the block deterred others from moving in. Nowadays, he writes in cafés in the corner with a collection of mugs around him and attends Karate and Judo lessons. Case File 664: Name: "Pentagram" Gender: ??? Age (Min of 14, Max 84): ??? Appearance: ??? Personality: Carves Pentagrams into the chests of the victims. Goals/Dreams: ??? - Incident reports indicate the killer kills for pleasure. So far, no connection has been established between the victims. It is presumed based on other killers that he is seeking fame. Weakness: ??? Fears: ??? Strengths: Forensics suggest that the killer during occasional struggles has considerable skill in hand to hand combat. Target is speculated to be equally competent with hands and feet as well as knives. It has been suggested that a larger weapon such as an axe is used. Blood Type: ??? Star Sign: ??? Hobbies: It is theorised that the killings are a hobby. It is debated as to whether there is a link to Satanic or certain Spiritual beliefs due to the pentagrams carved into the chest of the victims. Career: ??? Bio: The first victim of "Pentagram" was identified on 27th January 2015. The victim was identified as Martín Fernandez leading to initial beliefs that it was a racist crime. Mr Fernandez was located in the back of a vehicle later identified as belonging to him outside his house. It is suggested that as Mr Fernandez opened the door to either enter or exit the car, he was assaulted. Blood patterns around the scene indicates that the carving of the Pentagram was conducted in the back seat of the vehicle. The keys were found on the bonnet of the car and no DNA evidence has been identified other than Mr Fernandez and his wife's DNA after she found the body in the car. She is cleared of all suspicion. Martín and his family were Christians. The second victim was identified thirteen days later on 9th February 2015. The victim was found to be Sarah Moore, a white American female. Her body was located in an alleyway. She appeared to have died from strangulation before the trademark sign was carved. Beyond that, Ms. Moore did not suffer any other harm. The victim did not follow any religion nor had any association with the Fernandez family. The list goes on. Every thirteen days since January 27th murders have been occurring within the city. Private Investigators nor Police Detectives have been able to track down the elusive killer. Police are mobilising every 13 days to try and catch the killer but despite the intensity of patrols the killer still strikes...
Cassandra kicked the goblin to the floor and opened fire, reducing its head to a bloody pulp while Joan ran a second through with the banner-lance. The corpses quickly dissipated as corpses did in the game and they stopped for a moment in the brief lull in enemy spawning. These regular grunts weren't too hard to kill and she was having a reasonably easy time of racking up kills. Of course, being level 7 helped, making her considerably higher level than many of the mobs. She felt a small surge of pride at that. She was outlevelling this area and would soon be able to move on. She reloaded her machine gun and turned to Joan. "Injuries?" She asked, which promoted a small smile from her summon. "Look at my health bar. <<Summon's Promise>> updates the UI remember?" She pointed out. Cassandra nodded and checked. Both of them were at 100% having recovered from their bout earlier. As it turned out, there were advantages to be had from not allowing the enemy to get close. She saw Joan moving towards her and she felt an armoured hand on her shoulder. "You're doing very well Cassandra, I'm proud of you. Most players would shut down faced with a situation like this, but no. You've kept going." The woman offered her a warm smile which she gladly returned. She hugged Joan. "I'm glad you're my summon." She spoke softly. The knight didn't know how to react for a moment, but placed her free arm around her as well. Alpha437 disengaged and looked at her friend. "I promise I won't let you down." Joan nodded and they stepped apart. "Right, let's get on wi-" Cassandra stopped, eyes wide in surprise as the walls rose around the encampment sealing them in. Mist came rolling in down the edge of the camp where they were. She gripped her weapon tightly and cocked it. "Joan, what's happening?" "It's a boss fight Cassandra. This way. Bring your sniper rifle, we'll need its power. If you use that-" "Then you'll cover me and make sure none of the guards will come kill me right?" They nodded at each other. She slung the machine gun on to her shoulder again and grabbed her sniper rifle. They ran a short distance, weaving between tents before coming out in the centre where the battle was happening. The spectacle was unlike any other. A huge array of players and goblins were amassed in the field and already fighting. She watched many go to attack the Goblin King, but her eyes widened in horror as the Goblin King's swipe annihilated a group of the attacking players. Sparkling blue, fast fading player data drifted on the wind as she watched a handful of people die. The realisation was not lost on her. They were gone... Forever. Those people had just died. How many? Half a dozen? A dozen? There were only a thousand of them, and if these fights always went like this... "Cassandra!" The sharp voice of Joan of Arc evicted her from her reverie. She put a hand on the player's shoulder and her grey eyes gazed intently into her own. "Now is not the time. We can mourn them later but for now... We avenge them." Cassandra nodded, her lips a hard line. She hefted the Sniper Rifle and Joan of Arc sank to her knees with her hands pressed together to pray. "Mon Dieu, écoutez-moi dans mes temps de besoin..." She began. "The wicked have slain the innocent and we ask Your help to chastise them. Grant Cassandra the strength she needs to destroy those that would trespass against us and lend her Your comforting arms to hold her in her time of sorrow. Dans le nom de notre pére et Jesus Chirst, Amen." An icon appeared on Cassandra's screen just underneath her healthbar. A small crucifix with a fire behind it. <<Battle Prayer>> - Attack Damage increased by 50%. She smiled at the woman who granted her the buff. she was going to need it if she were going to avenge the fallen and defeat the boss. That all reminded her. It was time to try something new. She held her hand out over her Sniper Rifle. "En Glace!" The power of ice was infused into each of her shots now, She hoped that it would have the desired effect of granting a slow or freeze effect. She held the weapon up to her shoulder and braced it. Looking down the scope, she lined up the head of the Goblin King in her crosshairs. Accounting for movement, element of surprise, weapon recoil and power. Coriolis effect accounted for. All conditions are clear. She squeezed the trigger. The gun roared in her hands and an icy round sped towards the Goblin King's head faster than the eye could ever see. The round slammed in with great force prompting a gout of blood and she grinned at the impact. "You might be Level 7 monster... But so am I!" Before the first round even got halfway, the bolt on the sniper rifle clicked as she racked it back, loading a second round and firing it in rapid succession. The bullets would fly until the Goblin King was dead. Joan's attack bonus, the effects of En Glace and her being almost certainly higher level than everyone else there combined with the potent base damage of her weapon meant that she was the greatest threat they had. So long as she kept firing, they could defeat the Goblin King quickly. Meanwhile, Joan activated her ability << La Madamoiselle de le Champ de Bataille>> to scan the Goblin King's statistics, abilities and weapons. That should give her an idea of what they were going to be up against as the fight progressed and hopefully some weak points. They'd need as much information as possible to give them the best chance. (Myst if you could PM me or something saying if I see anything that would be great). Julius remained eerily calm as the walls rose up and the boss fight began. He twirled his halberd and grinned, calling forth his summon. He appeared next to Julius, leaning casually on his spear and whistling a tune. He looked over at the player nonchalantly. "Need a hand then?" Julius rolled his eyes and looked at the summon. "I thought it would be polite to invite you. After all, this is probably going to be a good fight." He answered levelly. Cú Chulainn nodded and twirled Gae Bolg with a cocky grin taking precedence upon his face. "Well in that case, I suppose we'd best get stuck in!" The pair of them ran towards the large battle. The Goblin King wasn't taking much damage for now, but it was early stages. Of course, targeting just the King at this stage was ridiculous. They needed to clear everything out first. Once they had isolated him, he would be much easier to fight instead of having to deal with him and his minions. With that in mind, Julius led the spearman around the flank past a couple of Goblin tents. He saw the artillery firing. We can't deal with anything as easily with those ranged attackers going. They round the corner and sure enough there they were, the Goblin artillerymen. They weren't expecting them. However, before he could charge in he saw the slaughter in his peripheral vision. He gritted his teeth and narrowed his eyes at the Goblin King. Just like that, he had killed a handful of people. He looked back at the artillerymen. If they were allowed to continue firing more would join the slaughter. However, even with that in mind... He wanted to destroy the Goblin King. It was at that moment that a sizeable chunk was removed from the HP bar of the Goblin King and a gout of blood spurted from his head. What, no, who could have done that much damage? It would have to be a ranged weapon of some sort, a sniper perhaps. Still... That's impressive. Julius turned back to his prey and charged in although Cú Chulainn was already there. He evidently had no reservations about murdering the Goblins and he didn't seem overly put off by the deaths of Julius' fellow players. Three goblin artillerymen lay dead in a circle around him. "Come on, these bastards won't die by themselves!" He ran towards the next group and Julius followed, Halberd at the ready.
"Oh, Sky Dragonslayer? You're looking for Caliborn then! That's good actually, he's probably one of the nicest people here. Whatever you need help with, he'll help you." Alessia replied, and that's when the people arrived. Zephyr appeared out of nowhere, who she was glad to see. "Hey Zephyr. Sure, come join us. This is Tessa, she's new." She gestured towards her. What could she need help with though? She's looking for a dragonslayer which is pretty specific. Even more so if she's looking for a Sky Dragonslayer. I guess she knows a bit of magic, after all she knows how to identify some stuff and I just get the feeling off her. I can sense it in a way. Then, the white haired man showed. He introduced himself as Conrad. He seemed polite enough, so he probably wasn't harmful or anything. Besides, he was a guild member. She gave him a firm handshake. "It's nice to meet you Conrad. When did you arrive? Sounds like you've been here a little while, I guess I just never noticed." She asked. And then something hit her. She glanced back at Tessa. "Wait, control yourself? What's going on with you? Is your magic out of control?" Please not another one, please not another one, pleasenotanotherone! [DOUBLEPOST=1442348348][/DOUBLEPOST] "Well, at least you're safe. I'm glad for that much." Vance said, looking around. "As for why I am here, I assumed you'd come here with Edric so here I came. As it seems, it has worked out and you're here now. And I was just having a conversation with somebody interesting. It is quite astounding what you learn from people." Vance did not miss a beat with Conrad leaving as soon as he approached and he watched the man suspiciously. He left specifically because of him. They did not get along well to start with, he knew that much, but he knew that Conrad would not simply leave company just because of his presence. What had happened while he was upstairs talking to Shani? What changed his mind...? He narrowed his eyes. I'll have to find out. That is not you, I know that much. "Now then Thea, what would you like to do? Do you want to stay here and look around or go back to the Guild?" If they stayed, he could ask Florica if something happened with Conrad and if not, then he could track down Conrad personally and ask. Something felt off about his behaviour. Vance was determined to find out what it was exactly.
"Are you real? Seriously?" Was Sherridan's only reaction to the woman that was accosting him. She seemed to be innocent enough, perhaps too innocent. That would explain a lot if that were the case. She seemed unusually used to being nice, as if she had never known anything else. Well, she was probably more pleasant company than Hycastle and less confusing company than LeNoir. And apparently, some little girl had come and skipped over from the crowd. He looked at her confusedly. What is it with these people and getting children involved? She hadn't any scars on her, that was good at least. He rolled his eyes and let Hycastle deal with her. She made the mistake of thinking that he was actually friendly. He was sure her mind would change very, very quickly. "It's good to meet you Tessa. Let's go see what's happening here. If you don't mind, I'll keep my weapons free just in case." However, LeNoir just showed and was apparently asking about Tessa. He had to step in before she blew the poor woman's mind. "LeNoir, don't make her head hurt too much, okay? We've only just met her." He wasn't fond of her tricks at this time. He would have if things were different and he could just enjoy the scene but as it stood... No. He would rather have a clear idea of what was going on and not worrying about her various and assorted illusions which he had to admit were clever and did take talent to do.
Cassandra put down the rifle at last. Her arms ached slightly and her ears were still ringing from the sniping. On top of that hill, she had stayed for some time. Unrelenting in her shooting, she fired round after round until a mountain of casings lay beside the rifle where it ejected them. She relaxed her arm muscles for a moment and surveyed the surroundings. This place was beautiful really. It was a shame that there was always the chance of death hovering over her head. She looked at her level count. Level 7. She was likely higher than most players due to her continued efforts. She wondered if any of them had noticed, how suddenly groups of mobs disappeared as quickly as they appeared. As she watched the village a short distance away, she heard the cries to open the gates of heaven and it occurred to her that she should actually summon her summon. I'd completed forgotten about that in the gunplay. She sighed, standing up and picking up her sniper rifle again. She reached out with her left hand and curled it into a fist. "Open, Gate of Heaven. Release, Joan of Arc!" There was a column of light from the sky and a brief flash that caught her vision. She could feel a sudden heat, as if there were fire but when she opened her eyes, there was no heat, but there was her. She stood before Cassandra, standing straight and proud. In her right hand, she held the banner that thousands once upon a time in history had walked underneath. It flapped lightly in the gentle wind atop the hill. Transfixed, she examined the blade at the woman's belt. Ornate yet practical with a complex crossguard of weaving metal moving into a double edged straight blade. Her armour glinted, though it was covered in places by black cloth and a chained necklace hung around her neck. Adorning the long blonde hair that ran into a ponytail down her back, tied off at the end with a black ribbon, was a sparkling silver headdress that contributed to her elegance. Her lower half was shrouded by a dress open at the front made of the same material as the fabric across her chest and shoulders. She could see her steel boots and greaves that protected her legs. Looking at her, she couldn't restrain a gasp. Luckily, her surprise was not so that she dropped her rifle. "Êtes-vous mon maître?" The woman spoke softly. Cassandra blinked a couple of times, just about recognising the French from class at school. "Uh... Oui? Parlez-vous Anglais?" Alpha437 asked sheepishly. Her summon actually smiled at her, though looked a little guilty. "Yes, I do. I apologise for speaking in French. I enjoy testing people's French. It makes me very happy that you were able to respond." Joan of Arc said kindly. So, Summons have a sense of humour? That'll make things easier. However, things took a turn for the unexpected, and the worse. "Now, I am sorry, but I'm afraid that I must test your combat abilities before we continue. Good luck, Miss Alpha437." Cassandra blanched as Joan passed her banner into her left hand and drew her sword. The blade flashed in the day's sun as she brought it to bear. Her body slipped into a fighting stance, placing her left foot before her and holding her banner underneath her left arm like a lance. It was at that point that she noticed the pointed tip. I don't even have range as an advantage. Cassandra dived backwards as the banner-lance struck, sending her tumbling to the grass. Her back hurt, but it was better than being dead. She drew up her sniper rifle and aimed at the woman as quickly as she could. There was no time to look down the scope, so she aimed and fired on instinct. The gun bucked violently in her hands and she almost let go, such was the force of the weapon unsupported. The shot itself would have been on target but her Summon had excellent instincts and moved out the way. She dodged quickly to the side and sprinted towards the prone Cassandra. She struggled to her feet and saw the deadly point reaching for her again. She batted the attack out of the way with the sniper rifle and stepped backwards. There was a spray of blood. Her arm erupted in pain and she dropped the rifle in her hands and instinctively covered the wound. She was so focused on the lance that the deadly blade barely registered and sliced her right arm neatly. She saw the woman's face fall slightly, as if she were disappointed. It was just for a moment. Her face hardened and she struck again, as if to end it quickly. Alpha437 was not done yet however. Cassie threw herself backwards and tumbled down the hill, rolling and yelling with each fresh wave of pain from her arm as it suffered from the impacts. When she reached the bottom, she groaned and looked up. She saw Joan of Arc charging down the hill after her, lance first and sword at the ready. The flag was stained with some of her blood from the spray of her arm and the fierce look on her face spelled certain doom for her if she didn't do something quickly. Fortunately, she had a plan. Cassandra stood up and put her left hand on the grip of the machine gun slung along her left shoulder. She glared at the woman charging and set a wide stance ready to move. Joan leaped dramatically into the air and Cassandra stepped backwards. The lance flew down towards her, the rest of the fearsome summon following behind. As it drew near, she stepped to the side and it thudded into the ground, digging quite a ways in. She attempted to draw it out, but found it more difficult to dislodge than she thought giving Cassandra time to bring her weapon to bear. As Joan stepped towards her, banner-lance abandoned carrying her blade in two hands, she stepped forwards daringly and pointed the gun at her. Joan looked startled as she realised that she was in the direct line of fire. It was too late for her, but curiously, she smiled. Cassandra squeezed the trigger and unleashed the weapon on full auto. The burst of gunfire tore through her defences and Joan staggered back reeling from the gunshots. She fell to one knee, beaten, and plunged her blade into the ground. She looked up at the wounded Cassandra and smiled. "Well done Alpha437. I congratulate you on your victory. I am happy to be able to serve with you now." Joan of Arc closed her eyes. "By God, this I swear. I am your sword and your shield. I am your servant, and you are my master. Until the time has come for us to part, in the presence of Christ, our Lord, I swear my allegiance to you." She didn't know what to say to that for a couple of moments. "I... I accept your oath?" She said, unsure of what to say. She clutched her arm as it pulsed, more blood rolling down her arm. Joan stood up and went to say something, but she interrupted. "And please, when it's just us, call me Cassandra or Cassie, okay?" "Very well Cassandra." Joan nodded and walked over. She cut a slice off her dressed with her sword and quickly wrapped a bandage around her arm. As she did, the <<Self Recovery System>> kicked in and she started to regain some HP. A notice flashed up on her screen and there was an item in her inventory. <<Summon's Promise>>? She put it on and the status bars of Joan flicked up beneath her own. "That ring will allow you to keep track of me. I suggest you keep it on at all times. Sadly, I cannot accompany you for long outside of combat and I must go now. I will see you soon. I will look forward to our next meeting." Joan spoke before disappearing in a glittering blue mass of pixels. Cassandra looked down at her arm. The fragment of dress still remained tied to her arm, being used as a makeshift bandage. She smiled. I think I'll enjoy my time with my summon. I should find out from someone if I can have her with me at all times. She walked up the hill, her arm feeling better rapidly and reloaded her Machine Gun. When she reached the top, she picked up the sniper rifle. The casing had spatters of her blood, but they despawned in front of her too. Little patches of blue light flashes where the blood despawned and suddenly, the weapon was clean again. She held her sniper rifle, leaning over the top of her shoulder and gazed at the village below. I guess I should go down there and take a hand in things myself. If things get bad, then I know Joan will be there for me. Besides, I might be able to get some levels on my Machine Gun and get it into a proper Sub Machine Gun like I plan. She hiked it down the hill towards the village, stopping occasionally to snipe a couple of creatures to keep the XP bonus timer going. Julius turned to the spear wielding figure standing beside him. Both of them breathed heavily, but they had matching grins as they dispatched goblins side by side with ease. The spear of his partner flashed past his head and sure enough, there was a goblin about to stick him in the back with a wicked looking knife. Julius nodded at the spearman and twirled his halberd, lancing a goblin that had appeared behind the other man. "Even then?" The man winked and laughed. Julius couldn't help but grin back. "Even. For now." Julius replied, stepping back into the fight and swiftly beheading another foe. Some time earlier. Julius stood upon a plain field. The goblins that were out here foraging lay dead on the ground with Julius standing over them. Their blood glittered as it despawned, falling away from his sword and halberd. He grinned and sheathed the sword. He was level 6 now, that was likely enough to get working on what he really wanted to do. He would of course, need a summon to start recruiting. He had to be on the same level. It was high time that he summoned Cú Chulainn. He was not ignorant of the game's mechanics, having done his research and listened to all the demos of mechanics. Upon hindsight, he had missed the Guilds video but oh well. That was just one and there were far, far more interesting things. That happened to include what he was about to do. "Open, gate of heaven! Release... Cú Chulainn! Child of Light of Ireland, come forth and face me!" Julius issued his challenge. There was a flash of blue light and his reflexes kicked in, blocking the answer with his sword and swiping the spear away. He grinned, for before him stood Cú Chulainn, the Hound of Ulster. "A fellow Irishman wants me to come fight with him then? Hah!" Cú Chulainn flowed into each step, Gae Bolg pointed at Julius at all times. He of course, stepped into a combat stance as well, holding his Halberd above his head to strike like a snake and sword ready to slice at the right time. He matched the competitive grin that the Summon was given him. He is everything I had hoped for. We're going to do well together my friend. "What do you think? Skip the pleasantries and get straight to making you my bitch?" Julius suggested. Gae Bolg darted towards him and Julius barely managed to sweep the spear aside as it drew disturbingly close to his chest. Julius stepped back, but Cú Chulainn was already dancing towards him, his moves a blur. Sod this. Attacking it is. Julius charged, stabbing at the spearman with his halberd but to no avail as the Child of Light danced to the side. However, he had anticipated that and his blade was waiting, cutting the other Irishman neatly across the stomach. He glanced down for a moment and his eyes flicked back to Julius. "Not bad, you might actually get me yet!" The spear flew at him with incredible speed. He batted it away, only to find a boot slamming into his chest and sending him hurtling backwards. Relinquishing his sword and twisting in the air, the Imperator landed on his feet skidding along the ground with his left arm used for support. The spearman and the halberdier locked eyes and charged each other with reckless abandon and the joy of combat singing in their hearts. There was a clang as the heads of their weapons met, parrying each other away as the deadly dance began. One man thrusting and the other dodging, blocking and countering. The Child of Light kicked Julius back again but he recovered quickly and pressed the assault with a flurry of blows, wielding the halberd like a quarterstaff and barraging Cú Chulainn with attacks. Even that was not enough to deter the Summon however, who responded to each strike with a waiting spear and a counterattack which Julius could scarcely avoid. Cuts appeared on his chest and his legs as he had avoided evisceration with but millimetres to spare. They drove each other back, almost equally matched although Julius could see the health bar whittling away with each wound. Death of a thousand cuts, I have to try and end this soon! Julius charged in again, raining a new flurry of attacks down upon Cú Chulainn. He could have sworn he saw chips out of metal flying about as they duelled, weapons silvery flashes in the afternoon's air. Some instinct triggered and Julius kicked at the Child of Light, only to find their feet connect mid air. They had both tried the same thing. There was an expression of delighted surprise on Cú Chulainn's face as they were both blown back by the attack and Julius felt a surge in confidence and pride. As he landed, he saw a flash of steel by his foot. His sword. He hooked his foot underneath the weapon and flipped it into the air, catching it. He ran in again with his ecstatic opponent meeting him again. They exchanged blows once more. Though Julius' halberd was slower with the one handed technique, he compensated by spinning around with each attack. His halberd and his sword swept out in turn with each spin. Julius became a whirling dervish, hearing the wind whipping through his hair as steel clashed relentlessly. He felt himself gaining ground and looked at the surprised face of Cú Chulainn, who could only smile when he noticed. All of a sudden, he darted backwards, allowing Julius to take a step forward, leaving him open to an attack. As Gae Bolg approached, the player threw himself to the ground and rolled away. Cú Chulainn was on him again in a heartbeat. The duel was reaching its closing stages and both of them knew it. They were tiring, but neither could afford to lose. Julius, for his pride and the Child of Light for the joy of winning. Cú Chulainn spun Gae Bolg around his head and brought it down into a hard slam that knocked his sword away as he blocked it. The move was repeated and Julius barely managed to get the halberd in the way. Still, the attack plowed through his meagre defence and lay a sharp cut on his cheek that immediately drew blood. The dual wielder grunted, but could not allow himself to fall. He was dangerously close to half health at this point from all these cuts. He had to do something fast. A pair of quick thrusts shook him out of the brief contemplation. Both hits deflected, Ireland's Child of Light spun Gae Bolg again. That was it! Julius ran at him swinging his sword upwards at the spear, disturbing its deadly momentum. With a dramatic cry Julius flung himself headlong into the air and stabbed downwards with the halberd at Cú Chulainn. The halberd took the spearman in the chest and he fell backwards, staggering. Releasing the spear, Julius took his weapon in both hands and rained down blows upon Cú Chulainn. Unhampered, the Child of Light would easily have blocked each hit but with the spear in his chest, he was weakened and slower. Julius' blows cut through his defence and swept the spear out of his hands. Gae Bolg flew out of its wielder's grasp and landed on the grass. Finally, Julius Maximus raised his sword and smote down upon the Child of Light sending him sprawling to the ground, beaten as his HP dropped to 43%. Julius' chest heaved as he yanked the Halberd out sending the bar toppling to 20%. Cú Chulainn looked down at himself and back up at Julius. "Damn, you actually managed it. You sneaky bastard." He grinned and got up to his feet, walking over to Gae Bolg. He held the weapon over his shoulders and looked around at the victorious Julius. "Looks like I'm stuck with you now. At least you're good. I hope the fighting's as good where you're going as you are. If it is, then we'll have a lot of fun." "And it isn't as good?" Julius raised an eyebrow. "Then I guess we have to fight each other. I want a round two after that!" Julius smiled. Cú Chulainn yawned all of a sudden. "Look, I'm tired after all that and the game rules say I've got to go anyway so, yeah. I'm off. Oh, and there's a ring in the inventory. That'll let you keep an eye on me and see how much you messed me up. Anyway, see ya." The Child of Light gave a lazy wave and disappeared in an instant. Julius watched him go and fell over, panting heavily. "I feel bad for the enemy, because between us two they're goners." He said to himself proudly. After a couple of minutes' respite he opened his inventory, equipped the <<Summon's Promise>> and leapt to his feet. There was no time to waste. After all, levelling didn't happen by itself.
"Ander go away, I'm trying to talk to the new member." She snapped when Ander asked her for questions. What's with that guy? He's almost as weird as John I swear they're related. She returned her attention to Tessa and gave her smile, shaking her hand. "Sorry about that, Ander is weird. I'm Alessia." She listened to her asking about Dragonslayers and folded her arms. She pouted a moment while she thought and flicked a loose stand of hair absent mindedly. "Well, there's Caliborn. He's a Sky Dragonslayer. Gexln is a Shadow Dragonslayer I think. Hmm... Leo might be one but I'm not sure... What do you want with a Dragonslayer anyway? It's a pretty specific request." Vance blushed furiously as Shani kissed him, although it left a tingling sensation. It wasn't a bad feeling by any stretch of the imagination. In fact, he found he quite liked it. The nobleman allowed himself to smile at the pirate before standing up to leave. "I suppose I ought to help. Assuming she hasn't got him already. If she's anything like you are she's already taken the chance." He gave her a smile and opened the door. Before he stepped through the doorway, he turned around to look at the woman. "I'll come back soon. Thank you again Shani it has been... Good meeting you." He left and went downstairs. After coming down the stairs, he spotted Thea immediately, nearby Conrad and Quinn and... The nobleman rushed over there as quickly as he could. "My goodness! Thea what are you doing there?" He exclaimed, rushing towards the girl before any harm could come to her or mistakes made. He was some distance away but surely Conrad had no bad intentions. The other one though... He just hated the look on his face. That damnable lout should get well away from his daughter!
∞ Name: Barry Emiya ∞ Gender: Male ∞ Age: 66 ∞ Appearance: This ∞ Personality: Laid back but fairly driven when it comes to maintaining good health. Barry is a determined survivor of war and aims to live out his life for a long time. He wants to experience some more of the world and he particularly enjoys travelling having spent a great deal of time in military service. He still maintains contact with other soldiers from back in the day. He is easy with a smile because he was miserable during his service having watched members of his squad die. He has since then received extensive counselling and while looks back at it with sadness, is willing to accept that what happens, happens and that life goes on. Barry is very fond of his grandchildren who know him to be their crazy old grandad who still somehow runs around. He makes jokes about the deafness in his right ear from where firing his rifle damaged his hearing, ∞ Goals/Dreams: Cruise through the rest of his life and travel the world. ∞ Weakness: While fit for his age, Barry is still getting old and won't be as fast as any of the other whippersnappers running about. Oh, and he's deaf in his right ear. ∞ Fears: His grandchildren getting into war, or another one coming to him. He does not look back on those days fondly and while the friends he made will always be special, he feels that nobody should have to see their friends die or even face death themselves. ∞ Strengths: Barry, despite his age, still knows how to fire a pistol. He doesn't have the strength for a rifle but he can shoot a pistol. He is a frequent jogger too, making sure to keep himself fit in his old age. He is practical, having learned how to take care of himself while in the army and is fairly self sufficient and understands modern technology reasonably well. ∞ Blood Type: O ∞ Star Sign: Pisces ∞ Hobbies: Crazy Golf, Jogging, Chess, Shooting, Babysitting. ∞ Career: Retired ∞ Bio: Barry Emiya was not the smartest nor the stupidest. He was fairly sporty when he was young. It wasn't always easy for him however, because being born in the 1940s just after World War II was a bad time to have a Japanese parent even if your mother was British. Even though the post war spirits were high, the memories of the people that fought against you, even though the Japanese army did not engage the UK much, did not fade quickly. As such, despite Emiki Emiya even celebrating the Allied Victory of the war, he found himself bullied and somewhat alone during school. Eventually as he got older, he found that people calmed down but was lacking in things to do in his life. Having lived a fairly active childhood, as soon as he reached the age of 18 he signed up to the military and served for a long time. The first combat he faced was arguably the most harrowing, when the IRA began their activities. The conflict so close to home unsettled the fairly young man but he kept fighting regardless. Eventually, the IRA were defeated but not before he watched an IED of their devising killing squadmate and several other soldiers during an ambush. It was the desire to never allow such a thing to happen again that kept him in the military until the Falklands War rolled around. He fought then too, trying to ensure that the Islanders never had to go through the same troubles or possibly worse that he had seen. And he was armed and prepared to fight back. How must it have felt to be innocent in all of it? With the war won, he continued with his life and stayed in the army. He attempted to support a marriage before the Falklands War occurred, but the marriage was faced with tension especially after he went to war. However, sure enough, when he came back his children were happy to see him and a mercifully relatively conflict free life followed where he was able to support his children. He found that memories of the wars kept haunting him despite them being over for some time, and he sought professional help and received the necessary counselling. While occasionally troubled by the odd nightmare, he was able to recover relatively well from the experience. These taught Barry valuable lessons in enjoying his time and living life to the fullest. For himself, his wife, his children and his fallen comrades that would never get to. He still remained in the army, doing some shorter tours before finally leaving at the age of 59. Old enough to benefit from a pension of 100% basic pay. With that in mind, he now lives with his wife Rebecca Emiya (Was Brown) and they happily receive the company of their grandchildren. Their children are named Shirou (At his father's suggestion) and Cora (At Rebecca's suggestion which he willingly conceded). Now, they bring their young children Matt, Clara and Izumi to play and visit their energetic grandfather who never fails to greet them with a smile.
Caliborn followed behind fairly passively, allowing the Guild Members to find their way. When the flooding started, it became a bit of a rush but ultimately, it was nothing to worry about overall. Finally, it seemed that they had reached the room with the Hand and the spirit of the Oracle carved into the wall. Caliborn, rather than using the Keyblade Glider used his magic to fly instead. I wonder where the girl got such a bizarre piece of technology. We should look at it and figure out the enchantments on it to use for ourselves in other weapons. The magical community would certainly appreciate simplified flying devices such as these. Perhaps I should ask to get it looked at some time. Those thoughts aside, Caliborn watched intently the scene unfolding before him. The room began to turn to gold which was all very well and good, but they had just got the artifact and were leaving it with this man. In any case, he didn't seem all that harmful but when confronted with potent magical artifacts such as the Hand of Midas, one could hardly have a laissez-faire attitude with it. "Now that you have it, what do you intend to do with it?" Caliborn asked. Alessia watched things resolve themselves, and they did so aptly. However, the originally happy and uncomplicated ending was sullied somewhat by the collapse of Cassandra and the vision that she spoke of. The entire town of Naliama? The Guild? Fighting something? What could possibly be that big of threat? She could only wonder... Something about a hooded figure. Worse, Cassandra collapsed and seemed to fall unconscious though put her faith in Evanora when she reported that she would be fine. After all, she must have seen it happen before. An episode like that would be impossible to ignore. With those concerns alleviated, she returned to the Guild Hall in relative peace. When they returned, a new member stood there in the Hall seemingly lost. However, she was clearly meant to be there. Who is that? I'll have to ask. Alessia approached Tessa and tapped her on the shoulder. "Hey, are you new here?" She asked.
Sherridan blinked rapidly in surprise as the woman manhandled him into going towards the crowd. Is she mad? Does she know what she's getting into? And my strength is fighting from a distance! How am I meant to do anything effective if I'm too close by? He twisted out of her grasp and spun back a meter before meeting her eyes. "I can't afford to get too close. And I certainly won't let myself get dragged over there by my hand by a woman that I've never met!" He exclaimed. "But I will go with you. If this goes wrong and not at all as you think it will, you might need a hand getting out of it. As one man, I can't do much but I'll do what I can. I don't like this, and I don't like the idea of you going in alone." He walked towards the crowd hopefully besides her. The Ranger hoped that she wouldn't be too offended by his outburst, but it wouldn't do him any good to be dragged around like a ragdoll by someone he had barely met. Of course. He never thought about that. Who was he dealing with here. "I'm Sherridan, Ranger. Far, far from home. Since we appear to be in this together somewhat, I should ask- Who are you?" Sherridan asked.
As Alpha got into position upon a hill opposite a nearby camp, her eyes widened in alarm as she saw two individuals had already beaten her there. No! They're going to level quicker than me! I can't possibly allow that! I have to level up as soon as possible! She immediately lay down on the ground on the hill and pulled up her Sniper Rifle. She pulled back the lever, clicking the next round into place and looked down the scope. She noticed the two people over there through the scope. MortoLibergio and MelonJackal. When had they left? She thought she had been pretty fast out of the starter town but apparently she was wrong. She switched away from the two of them and looked for a goblin in the scope. She spotted a pair heading towards the two, perhaps having recently spawned or simply being late to the party. With practiced ease, she lined up the head of the leading Goblin and fired. The head of the creature disappeared in a shower of blood and despawning blood. The second, naturally startled by the sudden explosion of its partner's head, stopped for a moment too long while she racked the bolt back and fired again. The head of the creature also reached a messy end. She patted the gun affectionately after the first spots of hunting were quickly done. Not bad. It's not quite my rifle in GGO but you'll do for now. She scanned the camp and laid sight upon a goblin returning. She swivelled the gun around and ended its life as swiftly as the previous. Three kills. I wonder how many of these it'll take to level up? She continued her deadly overwatch and while she remained fairly out of sight, the boom of the sniper rifle firing could be heard rolling down into the camp like an omnious thunderclap, heralding the storm to come. Julius walked the road. Perhaps he should have joined that Summoned Knights thing that Alpha guy mentioned and then negotiated his way into being in charge. Damn, I didn't think about that. Oh well, too late to go back now and it just looks pathetic if I do that. I'll never be a respectable guild master if I come crawling back after making a show of myself. No, I must live the part that I played upon that statue! They will know to love me and fear me but above all, respect me as the mighty Guild Master that I am. Truly, I will be the best player that this world has. Me, and Cú Chulainn. Our names will carry across this world with reverance and awe! Such was the encouraging nature of the thoughts that filled his head as he made his way to the fabled camp that Alpha spoke of.
The Ranger gaped as the woman told him (perfectly seriously) that he ought not to shoot people. Who was he dealing with? He had never met, let alone heard of, someone this clueless in his life! However, it seemed that she too sought the Hero and wasn't here by accident so he had some things to explain to her. Not that he could entirely explain the mess happening down there, but he could give her what knowledge he did have available. "Now, I'm going to ask you a question, and then I'm going to tell you what I know about this. Which isn't much. I too was looking for the Hero, however I don't think he's exactly what we thought he was. After all, he associates with that man there." Sherridan pointed at the scythe wielding Shadow Reaper that fought a woman. He felt bad for her. Having seen his combat prowess, despite her evident skill, fighting Dane would be hard. "That man there, is called Dane. He's a murderer. He killed a woman in cold blood and beat a child before kidnapping her and disappearing. Do you think that's right? I don't. That is why I'm here now. Because I have to stop him somehow. He's a killer and a madman and I can't let him go. And the worst part is... He was talking to the Hero. As if they were friends. How could any true Hero be friends with that man?" Sherridans hands curled into fists as he spoke. "I will go over there to find out what is going on. You can come with me. Just be warned, I don't think that things are exactly what we expected them to be."
Alpha437 soon reached the city's edge. A sign said that she was at the North Gate. Luckily, it wasn't too far to go otherwise she would have been too exhausted to do anything. With the crowd safely behind her, she walked out into the wider road along a road that led out of town. Where? She had no idea. But did that matter especially right now? It didn't. Right now, she just wanted to get a level or two ahead before she returned to town. That way, people would either ask her for advice or leave her alone. She wanted to avoid any trouble and nobody would bother her if she was too high a level for them to handle. Even the idea of being a level or two ahead at this stage made a lot of difference to perception. As she walked, she stopped when she crested a hill and looked around her. Even though it wasn't terribly high, she could already see an infinite digital horizon in front of her. In a sudden burst of inspiration, she hefted the Sniper Rifle and looked down the scope. The distance seemed to go on and on even through that. This truly was a real world to live in. How far did it go, she wondered. Her introspective done, she continued on in her search for something of worth to find and preferably kill. After all, levelling up waited for no one. "I see.. That's how it is then? No matter!" Julius jumped down off his makeshift podium and looked at Alpha. He had spotted the motion of hitting something in the air. So, the Guild option was in the menu somewhere? Very good. He would make his Guild eventually. First, it looked as if he was destined to be alone until he got stronger and earned the respect to run a Guild, so they all acknowledged him as a master. "We shall meet again, Mr Alpha. Do not think the Legio Julius defeated before it even begins. No, it shall be made. Simply not now. Mark my words... You'll see. And thanks for the tip." With that, he opened up the map to get direction to go North. As he strutted away with his Halberd over his shoulder, he explored the menus, flicking through options. Aha. There. This will be useful later. He had found the option to make a Guild, but he would not use it yet. Hmm, he needed to make it to at least level five before other people figured that he meant business, level ten for ultimate respect. Besides, Mr Greek Alphabet made a good point there- He did need to get XP and the Guild would only slow him down.
Julius grinned as people came to join his elite crew. The ones who came seemed filled with confidence and the same spirit to beat this game that he had. This was a good sign. He could tolerate no anxiety or weakness in his group of elite players that would conquer the game. He supposed that the best way to do this would be to set up a Guild that they could all play in. The Legio Julius, he decided. It didn't quite fit in with Cú Chulainn as a Summon, he would have done better with Julius Caesar or Pompeius Maximus for that, but it was suitably grand and had an air of elitism to it. However, he would ask that when he had a more definite idea of who would be joining his Legion. Naturally, he would be in command. Imperator. The title sounded perfect. Imperator Julius Maximus and his Centurions. He looked at Alpha intently. Yes. He would make the perfect Primus Centurio. The future commander returned his attention to the crowd before him and continued the momentum of the moment. He had to establish himself as a leading power in this world. "AND FURTHERMORE, HERE, IN THE SO CALLED CIRCLE OF JUDGEMENT I DECLARE THE FOUNDING OF THE LEGIO JULIUS, WITH ALPHA MY PRIMUS CENTURIO!" Julius looked down at the man he had essentially forced into things. "That is the greatest honour that I, Imperator Julius Maximus may impart upon you as the first player to take up my cause." Now, he just needed to go make the Guild.
Sherridan out of his peripheral vision as he looked around, spotted a new figure on her way. She was running straight towards them and was getting close. Where she came from was a good question, but that didn't necessarily matter at some point. Of course, he knew one thing about her already: She was here for the Hero. Was she in the stopping or helping him camp though? Something struck him all of a sudden. What was Dane doing with the Hero, and what was the Hero doing with someone like Dane...? Surely, surely he could see what was going on and yet... Sherridan paled. Maybe this wasn't at all what it was meant to be. Surely the Hero wouldn't want a man like Dane with him? The Hero would be someone with a sense of justice, right? "Stop!" Sherridan exclaimed, holding his hand up to the stranger approaching. He could make out the outline of a woman in the distance. "Over here stranger! There's something you ought to know!" He gritted his teeth, looking over. There was more to this than he knew. The feeling that he had entered something without all the details dawned on him and a chill ran down his spine. What have I come all this way for? A lie? And all of these people, apart from the crazy bastard that attacked the Hero and his friends must be here to help him. That means that this is the wrong place to be. I need to link up with them and fast. They're my best shot of getting out of here. And where did those two come from?
First came the shock. Like Sword Art Online. Those words haunted her as she stepped away from the crowd. Cassandra was not fond of crowds and had positioned herself near the back to escape as quickly as possible. The decision paid off. She began to breathe heavily, clutching the the <<Weapon Evolution Potion>> she had been given tightly. She blinked away unbidden tears and ran. Ran before anyone could find her. Ran before anyone could try and hurt her or kill her or just to get away from the sheer insanity that was about to happen. She knew it. It was a crowd. It was like at home years ago in the riots. They'd all go mad, the crowd would start running and she'd be trampled among the sea of people as nobody, not one cared to pay attention to one lost and scared litt- No! She couldn't afford to think like that now. As soon as she had gone down the street from the plaza a good distance she ducked into an alleyway and panted, taking out her pistol and holding it in her right hand. It's just like Gun Gale Cassandra. Just like Gun Gale. You have your guns. That's all you need to survive out here. Now, deep breaths. Her panicked breathing slowed as she hovered her finger over the trigger, summoning an iron focus that could not be disrupted. She had to have a clear head to fire. She wished that she could bring out her Summon right now. Joan of Arc was a good woman, she knew that from what she had heard of her. She was a woman in a war. Just like her. She would need her guidance. For now, she had work to do. The tipped the potion she got on her Pistol and sure enough, it became a Sniper Rifle. The new weight's sudden appearance came as shock, but it was no matter. It felt just like Gun Gale, the world knew. "Okay Cassandra... It's time." She furrowed her brow, standing up straight and turning to the alley's exit. "We're going to need a headstart." Cassandra stepped out of the alleyway and sprinted for the exit of the city, seeking the world beyond. It all came as a surprise, at least at first. It was only natural, because who could see it coming? But the more it all settled in, the more it all hit him, the only thing he could do was grin. Oh, sure, it was pretty bad. He was stuck in a potentially long death game with no way of escaping that he had seen, but who cared? He practically lived VRMMOs anyway. It just rose the stakes by a hundredfold and boy was it worth it. His University degree was totally screwed now, but who cared? His mind cast back to the days of the SAO incident, of how he longed to be living that life of hell and chaos inside the game with no escape except by beating the game. After all, it was the dream life! Just a game to play and the highest stakes of all! The Irishman's smirk only grew wider. He came to this game to find a game that captured the spirit, the je ne sais quoi of Sword Art Online and he had at last found it! It even had the same acronym, could it not have been any more obvious? This entire thing was extraordinary, audacious even. So, he had to do something to match. Julius proudly strutted through the ground, spending his <<Weapon Evolution Potion>> on making his Spear a Halberd. So, I get to be polearm buddies with Cú Chulainn himself. Pretty cool. Then, he approached a nearby statue upon a pedestal. He clambered up, using his newfound Halberd as leverage to help him. When up, he looked down on the crowd and planted his Halberd on to the ground to his right. "ATTENTION GAMERS!" Julius shouted. "I, AM JULIUS MAXIMUS! AND I COME TO YOU WITH AN OFFER!" He grinned confidently at the crowd. If the creator can be audacious, I too will do something just as audacious! "WHO AMONG YOU CONSIDER YOURSELVES ELITE? FOR I SEEK YOU! I SEEK VETERAN VRMMO PLAYERS! IF THERE ARE ANY OF THOSE AMONGST YOU, ANY OF YOU WITH PRIDE AND VALOUR, THEN COME STAND WITH ME! FOR WE SHALL WIN THIS GAME TOGETHER!"
Summon Name: Joan of Arc Weapon: La Pucelle, the sword of Joan of Arc, Her personal banner. Physical Skill: Le Feu du Jeanne d'Arc - La Pucelle sets alight as a reminder of the unjust way she died in life. It deals fire damage in addition to her normal attacks. Magical Skill: Battle Prayers - Joan can say a prayer to the Lord for His favour in the coming fight providing her the prayed for individual gain a 50% attack bonus. Other Skill: La Madamoiselle de le Champ de Bataille - Joan's experience on the battlefield has provided her insight, allowing her to see the abilities of her foes (Skills, Weapons, Stats). Special Link: (LOCKED) Summon Name: Cú Chulainn Weapon: Gae Bolg Physical Skill: Lancer's Instincts - Cú Chulainn's speed and reflexes are such that he can deflect ranged attacks. Magical Skill: Returning Strike - Cú Chulainn throws Gae Bolg (Or any weapon he is using) at the opponent's heart and returns it to his hand. Other Skill: Riastrad - Cú Chulainn enters a Battle Frenzy. He cannot differentiate between friend or foe, but becomes more powerful (Increased speed, strength and reflexes) Special Link: (LOCKED)
He turned around to face her in surprise when she admitted that she did actually like him. The words set off a peculiar sensation of happiness that shone through the present misery. "Now those words I have not heard in some time. The only thing that even comes close is my adopted daughter. You probably have no idea how much, surprising as it is, that means to me." Vance spoke softly with the ghost of a smile on his lips. "Perhaps you are right. Perhaps not but equally, perhaps so. I cannot say for sure. I can only hope that you are correct. I would like to think so honestly." He smiled to himself, nodding. Unbidden, a thought came to his mind and a slight chuckle escaped him. "Say, next time I am here be careful with your teasing. I may well take you up on something you say." The nobleman said, only half jokingly. He admitted to himself that tonight was fun and he was certain that other encounters would be too. Not to mention that she did cut a fine figure. Now that all bets were off for marriage... He saw no reason not to enjoy some company with someone he liked. If of course, it was mutual. After all, she was not just some poor soul using what she had for money. She was a person. Just like any other. Annoyingly for him, the thought became rather a pleasant one in his head and his cheeks coloured red slightly. So this is what hormones are. I see. I have a feeling that males are not really supposed to suppress this sort of thing.
