The North Sea

[+Sorana she/her]

13 hours ago, xinoehp512 said:

The new gemheart awoke to a world of chaos. It reached out in fear and bound itself tightly to the being holding it.

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But I am holding it?

Did I miss her loosing it?

 

Edited January 22, 2019 by Sorana

[xinoehp512 he/him]

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He can connect to it even if you are holding it. It's expensive (in terms of Investiture) but there have been three alleycanes in the last hour, so that's not as much of a problem.

You don't need to worry about the island dying as much, though. Now that it's connected to you, it can survive even if it's disconnected from the gemheart.

Rotcennoc shaped the shadow, forming the patterns of destruction with his mind using the power of the glove. He had paid dearly for this power. But any price was worth the future that he envisioned, even if the others were too shortsighted to see it.

He hesitated for a moment. It was a pity that these islands had to die, indeed. But he squashed the regret. The power from four gemhearts would be incredible. Easily enough to accomplish his goal.

So with determination, he released death upon the gemheart, destroying his connection along with whatever bits of soul resided within.

@Sorana @#Voidapple @Archer

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Say, Archer, what did happen to Klasten?

 

Edited January 23, 2019 by xinoehp512

[Archer he/him]

7 hours ago, xinoehp512 said:

Say, Archer, what did happen to Klasten?

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I owe you guys an apology. I completely dropped off there and haven't been following this thread as much as I should have been. I am pleasantly surprised to find that Klasten's not dead though. I half expected a cave-in to crush him or something of the sort. Last thing I remember doing with Klasten was completing his muteness and his invisibility, which also blinded him. What I pictured him doing during this time was being too afraid to try moving and risk getting lost, so he crawled into his bag. After a few hours, it would become visible. His long term plan was to wait for someone to pick it up, and hope they brought him closer to civilization. Either that or he could pretend to haunt it so some poor hero or heroine would have to run a cursed object themed quest. Looking at my schedule, I could probably fit in doing some more stuff with him if you need me to, but at this point it's probably easiest if he's relegated to the Isle of Insignificancy (a lesser known landmass on the Other Side, one shrouded in the Mists of Metaphoricalism). It's a shame because the plot here's gone in a way I did not expect it to (kudos to y'all for good RPing), but if someone wants, they can get a free bag out of it. I don't mind if you take it. I should have given him a better conclusion scene, but then again, part of me likes the way he just turned invisible and was never heard from again. It suits his character. 

 

[+Sorana she/her]

10 hours ago, xinoehp512 said:

So with determination, he released death upon the gemheart, destroying his connection along with whatever bits of soul resided within.

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Alright, I'll edit my previous post accordingly.

Though I might need some more information what the part with bonding the island means for Damaya especially with the timeskip coming. But first she needs to get out of this.

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Would you mind if Damaya build a grave for him, should she survive?

@Archer

Damaya knew he'd destroyed her gemheart as well, when the light vanished. And yet, the island was still there, clinging to her. Instinctively she tried to soothe it and pushed herself back to her feet, using the staff to keep upright, her hands slick with blood. She knew she should stop Rotcennoc, but she also knew she no match for him. Especially not right now. Looking over to Araha she saw how grave her friend was injured and made a decision.

"Rotcennoc. Let's talk, please."

Edited January 23, 2019 by Sorana

[Archer he/him]

13 hours ago, Sorana said:

Would you mind if Damaya build a grave for him, should she survive?

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I'd be honoured if you would. That would be a nice touch. 

 

[xinoehp512 he/him]

Kate felt her anger rise. This island had allied with the shadowbirds. More than that, she had used them, sending them out to achieve her own selfish goal. How many storms had fallen to the birds? How many islands? The birds were evil, destructive parasites that cared nothing for the countless lives that they stole. They deserved to be destroyed, every last one of them.

Along with any who allied with them.

Her father and mother had fallen to these birds. So had her brother. And so was she, if things continued the way they were going.

But before then, the island would pay.

The charge inside of her reached a level she had never before felt in her entire existence. She let out a long, dark laugh.

Then she released the charge.

~~~~~~~

Rotcennoc laughed. "Talk? About what? You have no bargaining power. Just stay out of my way, and you'll get through this alive."

He turned away, ready for the final part of his job. And then...

~~~~~~~

Nogard closed his eyes and brought his hands together.

Then he released a beam of Investiture directly at Rotcennoc.

~~~~~~~

All of a sudden, Rotcennoc felt a tug at his mind. A warning.

He spun around in time to see a Nogard's attack. Instinctively, he shot a beam of shadow to match it.

He cried out as the beams collided in midair, the force of Nogard's attack repelling his power. He gritted his teeth and repulsed back, forcing the shadow down the glowing line of light that connected them. He had paid for this power. A dear price; but it was worth it to achieve his goal. He could not let himself get defeated now. 

And then all of a sudden, lightning struck

~~~~~~~

The lightning jumped from bird to bird at literal lightning speed, destroying with merely a touch. Dozens and dozens of birds fell in an instant, their life expended.

But despite the hundreds felled, only one truly mattered...

~~~~~~~

Rotcennoc blinked and shook his head, dispelling the ringing in his ears. As his hearing returned, he took in the sound of hundreds of birds cawing loudly. He frowned. That shouldn't happen. Unless... unless they were no longer being led.

With a sinking feeling, he realized that the queen had died.

[Gancho Libre he/him]

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Wait, did Klasten just die???

 

[+Sorana she/her]

Damaya stumbled back as the lightning hit, instinctively lifting her arms to protect her head. She was still trying to orientate herself, when she saw Rotcennoc do the same. For a moment she grew still, felt along body. Her head hurt, especially the part where a bird had ripped out her eye. She couldn't really move her left arm and apart from tht there wasn't a single part that didn't hurt, her dress was soakedi in blood andat least a part belonged to her. Step down, turn around flee, or go on, help Nogard and Araha. In the end it came down to this question. Don't leave me alone she silently begged them, and her hands closed around her staff. She wished Coru was here, but she hadn't seen him in a while. Maybe he was hiding somewhere beneath the blood. Maybe he had really left her. Damaya closed her eyes, breathed in more stormlight to give her strength, looked over at Rotcennoc and attacked. Strength before weakness. Her oath, her resposibility. She wouldn't leave her friends alone. She swung her staff at him, tried to capture him between her staff and the wall, careful to not disrupt Nogards line of sight too much.

[Archer he/him]

18 hours ago, Gancho Libre said:

Wait, did Klasten just die???

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Functionally, yes.

Spoiler

 

 

[xinoehp512 he/him]

Kate slumped as the power flew out of her. Had she ever used that much power before? Had anyone? She had probably set some sort of record. It looked like most of the shadowbirds were dead, and the rest were unled. Perhaps...?

She felt a tug. Her last hopes vanished. With all she had used, she would have no strength to resist it. But...

She straightened up and began gathering her power for one more strike. If she was going down, she was taking this island with her.

~~~~~~~

Nogard felt the pain hit him again, just the same as it had the first time. He fell to his knees, but kept the stream of Investiture going, without thought. 

~~~~~~~

Rotcennoc felt the island begin creating a gemheart and began to panic. He had to get out of this standoff- and fast. With an effort, he brought up his ungloved hand. He concentrated for a moment, then released shadow directly at Nogard.

~~~~~~~

Nogard felt the shadow hit, dissipating his bolt. He slumped to the ground, energy expended.

~~~~~~~

At that moment, Damaya caught Rotcennoc with her staff, flinging him against the wall.

[Gancho Libre he/him]

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I just realized something. Nogard spells Dragon backwards, and Rotcennoc spells Connector backward.

Huh.

 

[kenod]

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Yeah, almost all of Xinoehp's characters have this with their names.

 

Edited January 24, 2019 by kenod

[+Sorana she/her]

7 hours ago, xinoehp512 said:

At that moment, Damaya caught Rotcennoc with her staff, flinging him against the wall.

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Just fyi, Damaya is using a shardstaff. Not that she knows it, but I just realized I only described it's effects so far and never really mentioned it.

Out of the corner of her eye she saw Nogard slump to the ground and hoped he was alright, or at least alive. The only good thing was - every passing second made her stronger. Without giving him a moment to catch his breath she attacked again, still aiming for his upper body as that one was the easiest to hit.

[xinoehp512 he/him]

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What's a shardstaff?

Rotcennoc grunted and cast a shadow in the path of the staff, blocking it. He scrambled to his feet.

[Gancho Libre he/him]

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It's just a shardblade but formed into a staff, I think.

 

[+Sorana she/her]

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It is. A shardblade formed as a staff, as she only has some basic with a staff and not a blade.

Damaya hesitated, looked at the shadow between her and Rotcennoc. A shadow. Reaching in her bag she pulled out a small light and shone it at the creature.

[xinoehp512 he/him]

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The shadow is a disconnect in space. It blocks things from traveling through it, but should start fading as soon as created if he doesn't sustain it.

 

[+Sorana she/her]

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I figured.

But Damaya has no idea about that. Her knowledge about investiture is ... limited.

 

[xinoehp512 he/him]

Rotcennoc steadied himself against the wall, then made a dash for it away from Damaya.

[+Sorana she/her]

He fled? From her? Astonished Damaya looked after him and looked over to Nogard. Quickly thinking about her options, she let Rotcennoc run away and walked over to Nogard, kneeling down next to him, checked if he was still breathing.

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Sry. She has no idea, that the island is creating another gemheart, so I can't have her react to that. She has no way to hold him or set him captive so it would mean she has to try to incapacitate him or kill him. In that situation - looking after someone who helped her is more important.

 

[xinoehp512 he/him]

Rotcennoc made a dash for the gemheart, feeling the gemheart begin to coalesce as he ran. He held a hand out in front of him, ready to catch it.

A spark glimmered...

~~~~~~~

Nogard felt the pain, and fought it.

He'd been caught unawares the first two times, uncertain of how to deal with it. But he was prepared now, and he had learned. Enough, perhaps, to do something this time.

He felt the gemheart begin to coalesce in the hands of Rotcennoc. This should not be. It was him who bore the Connection. It should be him who was steward of the newborn.

It was wrong. So he reached up and pulled.

~~~~~~~

The spark vanished.

Rotcennoc stopped dead.

He turned around to witness Nogard unsteadily beginning to stand, newly-forming gemheart in his hands.

[+Sorana she/her]

"Another one."
Damaya whispered in awe, looked at the gemheart in Nogards hands.
"You've got one as well."

Hearing Rotcennoc's step come to a halt she turned towards him, stepped between him and Nogard.

[xinoehp512 he/him]

Nogard rose fully to his feet, steadying himself against a nearby stalagmite. He felt the unformed consciousness of the gemheart reaching out to him. Curious, he accepted it.

As the soul connected to him, he felt power residing in the gemheart: the power to make connections, explore connections and manipulate connections. He reached in and touched it, learning more about how it worked and what it could potentially be used for. 

With a start, he realized that he was using the power. Was this a side effect of connecting to the gemheart? Was it because it hadn't fully formed yet? Whatever the reason, he had the power, and he could use it against Rotcennoc.

He reached out through Connection at the man, trying to see what he was planning to do next.

~~~~~~~

Rotcennoc closed his eyes as the island explained things to him. Yes, this was bad. This could potentially ruin everything for him. But it shouldn't be too hard to prevent. Holding the connection of the island in his mind, he began weaving a pattern that would drain energy from its target.

~~~~~~~

Nogard watched the man's weaving with mixed feelings. Clearly, the man intended to drain the island of energy, an action that would most certainly kill it. The island had done some horrible things, but he didn't think it deserved to die.

He took another look at Rotcennoc's weavings. Could he find a way to turn it back on its creator? He was sure he could, if he only had more power. Even with all of his gemstones, he wasn't getting enough Investiture: he was pretty weak, for a Radiant.

Suddenly, a thought struck him. Damaya was a Lightweaver, wasn't she? Maybe she could help.

He reached forward and touched her hand, connecting with her. With thoughts, he explained the situation to her. What do you think?

[+Ark1002]

Araha looked at Rotcennec, feeling almost sad for him. The man had to die... didn't he? Her voice came out a whisper. "I have to protect them... I will protect... those that I hate... unless there is no other option." She pushed herself forward, looking at Damaya, and Nogard. She hated the island, and Rotennec. But she would protect them. "Please. You have to leave them alive. We can find a justice system, something." And Ran appeared. In shardform. She looked the same, but metal. And visible to them. Ran smiled, looking across the face of Nogard. "We can't let you hurt them."

@Sorana @xinoehp512

[+Sorana she/her]

19 hours ago, xinoehp512 said:

What do you think?

Damaya flinched back when he took her hand, instinctively tried to pull away. Then she saw him. Nogard. This was Nogard. He had helped her before. Heart pounding in her chest she forced herself to keep their connection. She had touched him before on her own choosing. He wouldn't hurt her. Same as Araha he wouldn't hurt her. It took her a moment, to realize he was talking to her.

I can give you the power you need.

She replied.

I never really learned how to use it, but if you know what to do, I can give you what you need to execute your plan. It won't harm my island?

Breathing in she felt the stormlight and experimentally offered it to him. More, she needed enough to make sure her body wouldn't stop its healing.

"Please. You have to leave them alive. We can find a justice system, something. We can't let you hurt them."

Damaya turned. Araha. At first she was relieved that Araha was good enough to get to her feet, then she grasped the meaning of her words.

"You are telling us to stop?"

She asked barely able to believe what she heard.

"He has a ... spell, whatever, ready that will kill us if we don't do something about it right now and you tell us to stop. He killed a child, and he tried to kill two others and you are talking to us?"

She stared at her friend, suddenly feeling cold, alone.

"I trusted you, and you, you, you betray me. You turn against me when my life is threatened?"

Her voice broke, the last words barely understandable.

Edited January 28, 2019 by Sorana