[h2][b]END OF SIMPLE SCHOOL DAYS ARC: COMPLETE[/b][/h2] [hider=Enkryption] [hr] [h2][i][color=c0c0c0]End of Simple School Days, Part I[/color][/i][/h2] [hr] [[color=a36209][i]He's near.[/i][/color]] ‘[color=a0410d][i]Are you sure, honey?[/i][/color]’ queried a fatigued woman, rubbing her chilled arms. '[color=a0410d][i]We’ve been looking all week, and he keeps slipping away,[/i][/color]’ she says, with a rather adorable pout, '[color=a0410d][i]We need to be sure.[/i][/color]’ A grimace crossed her thoughts, and she frowned in tune. [[color=a36209][i]I am sure. I can feel him. Odysseus.[/i][/color]] snarled her magical tenant. '[color=a0410d][i]Very well, honey. I trust you,[/i][/color]’ says the woman, as she raised a card that was of a subdued gold, and bore the image of a charioteer. '[color=a0410d][i]Let’s run wild, honey! Let's show them we are the swiftest of foot![/i][/color]’ Settling the card before her stomach, just above the core of her pelvis, she crushed it. Magic burst free of it, and she was wrapped in the armor of a true Locrian warrior, holding a hoplite spear at her side, and a aspis upon her back, baring the design of a large wave crashing upon a cliffside. Narrowing her crystal-blue eyes from behind her helm, she hefted the shield, and set it before her. “[i][b][color=a0410d]I am the swift wind. I am the forceful sea. I am the fated tidal wave, crest upon you,[/color][/b][/i]” she chanted, shifting a foot back, “[color=a0410d][b][i]and crashing you upon my rocks.[/i][/b][/color]” In a second, she became a blur; a streak of color, exceeded by a crash of sonic sound waves. In a moment, she became a force of nature, a wave of water, given human form, and driven by gale force winds. In less than a minute, she made impact... ...against the King, Xerxes, whom, once in full control of the situation, found his grip on it all... LOST. As violent as storm, the shield made full-body contact with the Persian, and shattered every bone across the impact zone, as it released an explosive burst of liquid, and tossed him across the room. The shield created a small pool of sea-scented water -- remnants of what engulfed the king -- and Xerxes slammed into the bleachers. However, he didn't crash and crater, but bounded off them, as the impact zone and all that the water touching it suddenly turned into jagged stone. In an instant, King Xerxes, once proud and powerful, was made a pincushion by rocks fashioned into spears by nature. [[color=a36209][i]...you missed.[/i][/color]] “[color=a0410d][b]Nnn!!![/b][/color]” whined the sudden attacker, stamping her feet like a child. “[color=a0410d][b]I was going really fast, though![/b][/color]” Crossing her arm, she puffed her cheeks, and pouted. [[color=a36209][i]There. There. A minor adjustment is all that's needed. He is standing there. Odysseus.[/i][/color]] The woman looked where directly, and jabbed an accusatory finger at Hal. “[color=a0410d][b]YOU![/b][/color]” she boomed, “[color=a0410d][b]I'll make you pay for what you did to my honey, Odysseus![/b][/color]” she shifted her stance, and raised her shield. “[color=a0410d][b][i]I am the swift wind. I am the forceful sea. I am the fated tidal wave, crest upon you,[/i][/b][/color]” she took aim, “[color=a0410d][b][i]and crashing you upon my rocks.[/i][/b][/color]” [[color=a36209][i]Take this, Odysseus!!![/i][/color]] [hr] As a blur passed him, Virgil barely minded it. Hanzo’s senses were his own, so he could see the blur for what it was: a woman in armor that should have prevented such intense forward motion. Rolling his eyes, he sighed with the dismissal of following her targeted path. ‘[color=a187be][i]Another Servant. Another Master. Another problematic woman to deal with in the future,[/i][/color]’ he thought, idly, as he somersaulted through the air; landing on his hands, and bending his legs at his knees. A large swing on bone and fury swept over the sandal-clad heels of his feet, and he snapped them up. ‘[color=a187be][i]Right now, I have my own problems to attend to.[/i][/color]’ Virgil curled into a ball, rolling right, and by Maggie; the redhead stumbling to recover from the kick against the underside of her jawbone club. He pushed off the ground, as she threw her arm backwards, wildly, but aimed, in a savage sense, and slammed the bone into the ground; taking a crater out of the earth. ‘[color=a187be][i]How am I going to calm her? A Berserker lives and breaths combat. Surely, if I knew her True Name, I could force her out of her Install, however--[/i][/color]’ Virgil was abruptly paused in his thoughts, as Maggie lunged at him; the bone crossing under his nose, as he turned his head sharply to dodge its brutal existence. His button nose upturned from the sour stench of elephantine blood and flesh, the putrid sense forcing a grimace upon his thin, pouty lips. ‘[color=a187be][i]If I drag this out, then she just might become a True Beast, like the Gods you speak of, Hanzo-chan...[/i][/color]’ Virgil mused, absently calling his Servant by such an informal address, ‘[color=a187be][i]That might be amusing, on its own merit,however--[/i][/color]’ Virgil was sharply cut off his own thoughts, as he mistepped, and mistimed -- too busy thinking, too busy outlasting -- and mistook a feint for reality. Maggie grinned, as she raised her freshly bloodied club to her lips. “[color=f26522][b]Not so squirrely, now,[/b][/color]” she says, her blind rage mostly subsided by this small victory; sated battlelust restoring lucidity. Virgil raised a trembling hand to his perfect, porcelain cheek, and drew it back; from a deep gash crimson was drawn, and stained gloved fingers. “[color=a187be][b]You cut me...[/b][/color]” he says, almost a perfect recreation of their first encounter. For one moment, his effeminate beauty withered and rotted into a masculine rage, before he straightened his expression into something simple and cold. “[color=a187be][b]I’m going to kill you.[/b][/color]” Maggie didn’t have a moment to think, but react, as a deep-seated font of mana exploded around them. It’s brilliance was blinding, in its own way; unmatched anger, masked as calmness. Before the lights vanish, she saw Virgil fling his holstered spear into the air. Battle-hunger return her lucidity, allowing her to she look up, and realize that the spear hadn’t been a mere weapon, but a catalyst, as it slipped into the atmosphere, and hundreds of spears blocked out the very sun, itself. “[color=a187be][b][i]A shadow swoops low; Shifts silent among the reeds; A crane strikes unseen...[/i][/b][/color]” Virgil said, calmly, collected... before, he, too, became a shadow. Rainfall of spears littered all that Virgil considered his battlefield, as the Bounded Field ate the school, the yard, and the road; spears burying into the earth, concrete, asphalt, bricks, and cars, alike. It was only when a stab against her unbreakable skin aimed against her liver registered in her brain, that Maggie realized, there was no escaping the network built. Virgil stood on his right hand and foot; left foot extended, toes curled around the haft of the spear that struck her... before he disappeared again. “[color=a187be][b]I will break you. I will kill you. I will...[/b][/color]” Virgil promised, anger swallowing him, as it had her, mere minutes past. Maggie grinned, through the pain, however. This is what she wanted. A death fight. In that gym, Flamma had abandoned her, but, now... now, she could try again. Prove herself stronger than anyone... than everyone. Hefting her jawbone club, she began to crush spears, left and right, creating pockets, paths -- zones of even ground, if only temporary -- and dug in deep. Too deep. Nine spears sank in, digging into her flesh, seeking passage to nine vital points... only being rewarded with causing pain unparalleled. Her knees gave out, cave in -- not from the pain, but thee real Virgil kicking them out, and pressing his tanto into her crown, as his shadow clones dug their spears in. “[color=a187be][b]Uninstall! Uninstall, so I can end you! You beast![/b][/color]” he snarled, nearly screaming in manic rage...a rage that Magge knew well, and lived in. She chuckled, and started to laugh boisterously, before she stopped, and Virgil’s world turned upside-down. It was at her knees she landed, at her mercy he lie, and at her whim he existed. Tables turned in a moment. “[color=f26522][b]Heh~! Where’s all that bluster at, now,[/b][/color]” she asks, raising her fist. In an instant, Virgil remembered: Assassin was the weakest Class, Berserker was the strongest Class, and two plus two still equaled four... “[color=f26522][b]My turn to hurt you...[/b][/color]” Maggie says, her hair falling over her face, “[color=f26522][b]Maybe even kill you.[/b][/color]” Virgil looked up, and smirked; tanto too far to get, mana to low to vanish, but... he fancied himself a girl, and all girl fights ended up one way. “[color=a187be][b]Let’s be real,[/b][/color]” he says, before pulling her hair. Maggie gasped, shocked to such an extent, that she forgot that she was infinitely strong, functionally immortal, and could crush Virgil’s skull with her pinkies... and just reached down to yanked his long, feathered hair back. Now, it was just a superpowered catfight. [/hider] [hider=Suku] [hr] [h2][i][color=c0c0c0]End of Simple School Days, Part II[/color][/i][/h2] [hr] [color=ed1c24][h2][center]AJAX THE GREAT[/center][/h2][/color] [color=ed1c24]“I won't let it happen! Soteria help me guard those who must be protected! RHO AIAS Shield of the Unfallen!”[/color] Ajax yelled as he hefted his shield in front of him. His shield glowed as the shield that which stopped the might of Hector’s spear met face with an unending charge. One side was bound to lose and in the end the charge was taken head on as Ajax was pushed back something that was both new and yet familiar he thought as he was kept being pushed away without stop. Though the farther away they were pushed the more and more he grew frustrated He was Ajax the Greater, he would not be beaten like this! Rage fueling his body he tightened his stance and with his second arm braced his shield more before parrying the attacker away. [color=ed1c24]“I know not why you do this but note I wont allow a ally to fall on my watch! My comrades depend on me to be their shield and so I stand let note those who would seek harm upon them come and face me if you wish but know many a spear was broken on my shield! The Shield of Ajax the Great!”[/color] He boasted as he stood tall and proud his spear materialized in his hand as he banged it against his shield in a taunt. Ever the boastful person Ajax was known for his pride and and his bullheadedness in battle both showing clearly in his taunt. Despite this he was worried something about the attacker felt familiar and he greatly hoped in the end he was wrong. [color=f49ac2][h2][center]Tsukiya[/center][/h2][/color] Tsukiya came to as being knocked into the bleachers by a mad woman was certainly a experience one she wished not to discover again. Try as she might though Astolfo wasn’t responding leaving her once more alone in the face of danger. [color=0072bc] “Fear is something that you must learn to overcome a true warrior understands their fear and faces it head on.”[/color] [color=ec008c]“I-I know but.”[/color] [color=0072bc]“But…?”[/color] Brynhildr questioned, seeming almost confused at her hesitation. [color=ec008c]“Fear is something that can’t be overcome but I know I need to fight.”[/color] [color=0072bc]“Then, what will you do? If fear cannot be overcome, then will you simply find a way around that fear?”[/color] [color=ec008c]“I know I haven’t been brave in fact I'm a coward I will admit that fact but.. But I need to fight now.”[/color] [color=0072bc]“Mm. Many people never face true conflict their whole lives. While there are infinite ways to live one’s life, from all the warriors I have received into Valhalla, I cannot say for certain that any of them lived ‘correctly’. As such, my master...I ask of you.”[/color] Brynhildr said, before Tsukiya would almost feel a hand on her shoulder. [color=0072bc]“Is this how you want to continue to live?”[/color] [color=ec008c]“No I can’t say it is I want to stand and fight but I lack the power..... I have ignored and scorned you will you stand by me today?”[/color] Though she wasn’t visible to Tsukiya, the air seemed to lighten as Brynhildr moved her mouth to speak, the faintest tug at her lips. [color=0072bc]“Of course. My Master. Your will is your own, and I will follow it. Come.”[/color] Tsukiya new found confidence and a strength to rely on emerged but due to the length of the internal conversation left her alone with no one to fight. [color=ec008c]“Well…. I guess this means we win or lose?”[/color] She said unsure as she tried to heft the large lance of Brynhildr. [color=0072bc]“A fight that isn't fought is often considered dishonor and can lose many a warrior prestige in Valhalla but in this case even I am unsure.”[/color] Brynhildr replied [color=0072bc]“Though Sigurd always was wise and fought battles that were needed and if possible talked to others to avoid one so a battle loss is not a gain nor a loss I suppose.”[/color] She continued her voice tinged with uncertainty but longing as well as she reminisced. [/hider] [hider=The Irish Tree] [hr] [h2][i][color=c0c0c0]End of Simple School Days, Part III[/color][/i][/h2] [hr] Casually strolling away, Flamma felt a massive breeze pass by him, an unimaginably fast blur zooming past his vision and nearly colliding with him. Looking relatively unimpressed, he scratched the back of his neck. [color=9e0b0f][b]"...The hell was that?"[/b][/color] he commented, picking up his pace a bit. Not like it mattered. Someone so good at running wasn't worth fighting anyways. Pain racked Xerxes' body as he was struck in the shoulders, flesh giving way to steel, and bones too following. Then, his side was impaled, leaving the Persian king with little more to do than to groan in pain, weakly grasping his axe. Before he could even speak, and as his Athanaton 10,000 started closing in, all at once reality became a myriad blur of pain, steel, rock, water, and flesh shattering against all of them. Impaled through his chest, right arm, and both his legs, Xerxes was left a pathetic husk of the "glorious" king who had stood before the Class Card Holders before, struggling to just...exist as his lungs filled with blood. [color=DDA0DD][b]"Not...guh...not yet..."[/b][/color] he protested, as his body seemed to give into the pain and injury that befell it. From the wounds in his body, a pale, golden light emerged and slowly drifted upwards as tiny specks and particles. It would be a rather beautiful sight to behold, if not for the blood that followed that quickly turned a murky dark brown, and, as the light fully faded from his wounds, Xerxes wretched and writhed in agony. His skin seemed to start losing consistency, turning a brownish-purple as his form lost cohesion. It was as if his own flesh was melting off the bone; anything that had at one time been pleasing to look at now resembling mixed and melted putty [color=DDA0DD][b]"More...more...my...my rule...my empire..."[/b][/color] he said, using his free arm to try and push himself forward, howling in pain as he struggled against his blindingly obvious defeat. His voiced sounded dissonant and cacophonous, as if everything but his mind had fully left. Managing to at least push himself off enough, Xerxes' eyes became glassy and dull, as his body landed with a wet, resounding thud against the floor of the gymnasium. The 10,000 skeletons began dissolving as well, many trying in vain to make a last attack on the Card Holders, only for their limbs and weapons to disintegrate upon making contact. It...was over. His Class Card, boldly displaying him riding his chariot was impaled upon the very same rock he had been speared upon. Despite the material being pierced, it seemed entirely intact, as the hole was cleanly through the middle with no material jutting out to give it room. It was more like the spike was just holding it up, rather than breaking it apart. [hr] As Makoto waited for the fight to finish, he felt relieved, then panicked once Maggie's rampage began. The Caster Card Holder recoiled in horror as he saw what he thought was Rebecca being torn apart, shutting his eyes before he felt himself be moved... In an instant, he was whisked away to safety and plopped right in the middle of the bleachers. Thoroughly confused, he watched as the guy that had saved him lead Maggie away quickly. Now, with the Big Guy gone, Makoto turned his attention Xerxes, just in time to see him get absolutely destroyed by the combination of Hal, Rebecca, and the new arrival that barreled through the entire building and impaled Xerxes onto a wall. Thoroughly disgusted as the Persian Emperor dissolved before his eyes, Makoto felt a twinge of pain in his eyes as his Skill: Material Appraisal was forced to activate. [color=FFC300][i]"Makoto...investigate that substance. But do not touch it."[/i][/color] Zosimos instructed as he eyed Xerxes' desecrated corpse. Now, conflict brewed once more as the mystery arrival yelled at Hal...Was anybody here going to catch a break? It was just one thing after another, then another, then another, then another. [color=1ABFD6][b]"Today sucks..."[/b][/color] he complained aloud. Going over to examine the mud, Makoto felt a twinge of nausea sweep over him as he observed what exactly the stuff was made out of. It was like...magecraft condensed into a pile of crap. A mixture of curses that oozed mal-intent, and the only actual physical part of it seemed to be comprised of basic sediments, dirt, and water. Drawing away from it, Makoto rubbed his eyes beneath the headdress of Zosimos, confused as to what exactly it was that he saw...or rather, what he felt. [color=1ABFD6][b]“Like...it felt like just looking at the stuff made my head hurt. There wasn’t anything special about it...just mud, but...it was like it was made out of tainted earth, or something.”[/b][/color] Makoto stated to Zosimos mentally, the latter humming as he looked through Makoto’s eyes. [color=FFC300][i]”.....How strange. It feels...familiar somehow. Regardless, taking a sample is out of the question. Its poisonous to the touch...and yet, Xerxes’ body was comprised of it. We’ll need to dispose of it properly, as well as Xerxes’ class card. Hop to it, Makoto.”[/i][/color] Zosimos said, his student sighing and following up by swiftly closing off Xerxes’ body from the others with a dome of stone. Snapping his fingers, the stone dome sank into the ground, taking Xerxes’ body down with it. [color=1ABFD6][b]”Wasn’t something you’d want to touch.”[/b][/color] Makoto said to Hal and Rebecca, nearly managing to grab the class card, before someone new barged into the gym... [/hider] [h2][center]-Ratatoskr-[/center][/h2] [color=92278f]“It seems the battle has ended master”[/color] Aife said her voice calm as she stopped sensing the battle going on. [color=a187be]“Very well go secure the area no one enters or leaves without my permission”[/color] the Lone female said as she commanded the others around her. [color=aba000]“Yes Mam!”[/color] They acknowledged in Unison as they spread out securing the area each one of them was no match for a servant but she was more than willing to bet on them surviving. [color=a187be]“Aife let us go you said the main source of the presences was in the gymnasium correct”[/color] [color=92278f]“Yes master”[/color] Without another word the woman walked up to the gym in a brisk march. Looking at the chaos that has occured she couldn’t help but sigh this was going to be a mess to explain. [hider=Suddenly, A Wild BGM Appears~] [youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=moZ6bJ6CPC4[/youtube] [/hider] [color=92278f]“Those who stand tall lend me your ears! My name is Maria Hotsuin I am the leader of a group known as Ratatoskr. I come to ask of you to listen to my words. We of Ratatoskr has been tasked with the guarding the secrecy of the Servants and the “class cards”. We are more than just secret keepers we are that which protects humanity! The shield that guards those remain unknowing of the midnight world! We are that which hides in secret to protect those around us! WE ARE RATATOSKR AND WE ARE THE GUARDIANS OF HUMANITY!”[/color] She yelled out giving a probably what in her head sounded like a emboldened speech but came off way different. [color=a187be]“Master you are going a bit overboard again.”[/color] Aife said with a sigh her master often got carried away with her speeches but she meant well most of the time. Ignoring her Servant Maria wrapped up her speech a few nearby soldiers politely clapping as she wrapped things up. [color=92278f]“In the end we ask of you that you follow us so we can explain things in full if you don’t mind. I promise to explain everything to you.”[/color] Outside a couple of Ratatoskr soldiers wasn’t having a good time in fact they were having a very bad time at it. One spotting the fight called in for backup which two more complied to and gathered up. [color=aba000]“May I ask you that you lay down your weapon… please.”[/color] He added at the end his voice full of fear he was not paid enough to deal with this crap yet here he was dealing with it. [color=aba000]“I am a member of a organization known as Ratatoskr and if you would please stop your fighting and follow us.”[/color] Another replied this one a bit more brave as he walked up to the combatants his arms spread to prevent the fighting. Though the third one stood there his uniform dirty and put on in a rush but he had his hands out as his gloves sparked with a bit of electricity ready to punch someone though it would probably lead to his death.