[center][url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VkfBTBHg4fc][img]https://i.imgur.com/XWlptvr.png[/img][/url][/center] The Warchief hadn’t been hiding. He was the leader of their people, not some cowardly strategist hiding in the tunnels, not some heartless sovereign holed up in a fortress. Standing in the backlines amongst his Drummers, who relayed orders for the army at the speed of sound, he paced and he narrowed his eyes, a guttural growl rising with satisfaction. Leaders they may have had amongst them, but it was clear they had no efficient manner of communication in the quagmire of conflict. Many chiefs could not lead an army effectively. Conflicting orders, conflicting tactics, conflicting objectives. The adventurers were a multi-headed snake that had no idea what they wanted to do, while his glorious horde? A powerful drumbeat sounded, and in unison, the entire horde cried out their satisfaction, their devotion, a thunderous roar that washed over plains. The Warchief smirked, his gnarly fangs exposing themselves. Either they feast at the feet of their lord or on the corpses of these foolish adventurers. Regardless of what it was, they would feast, they would drink, they would celebrate. But in that moment, a meteor disturbed his revelry. No, not a meteor, a single adventurer. Her lavender hair billowed like fairy silk amongst the dust. Her amber eyes burned like frozen lightning. In her hands was a simple spear, and in her heart was a white hot flame. And her voice? Like knives dragging against his bones. [color=FFE4E1][b]“Found you.”[/b][/color] The woman made a gesture in the air, and, a long distance away, Skygod, a level 15 Runechanter, let out a deep sigh, his half-moon glasses dipping down his long, narrow nose. That Lancer was easily the youngest of them all, and there was no way he approved of her reckless actions, but results were what mattered here. She was the fastest of their scouts, even if she was also supposed to be saving her strength, and with a shrug, the balding man raised his arms, bringing from his souls the final words of power that his ritual required. [color=6ecff6][b]“I DECLARETH MYSELF SKYGOD, MASTER OF ALL LANDS BENEATH THE AZURE. EARTH, RISE AND ISOLATE, IN THE NAME OF THIS GRAND MAGIC EVOCATION!”[/b][/color] These were words that would never reach Cecilia, words that would never reach the Warchief. But for one, it didn’t matter, and for the other? It was a surprise. As Skygod’s mana plummeted to near-empty, massive walls of granite burst around the Warchief, the monster letting out a surprised growl before immediately launching his offensive. A challenge? Then have at him! He was Vrazdol the Overeater, the mightiest and wisest of his clan! Reaching out towards the heavens, he pulled a green bolt from the skies itself, creating a greataxe of eldritch energy, emanating with terrible might. That, however, was not the only thing that fell from the skies. Dapper and cleanshaven, Taleisen cavorted through the opening of the high-walled Arena with eloquent steps, his raven hair swept sideways as twelve different weapons orbited around him, before they all shot like arrows down towards the muscular goblin. Some were daggers, buzzing around at blinding speeds. Others were spears, striking with the force of ballista shots. Still more were chains and swords, binding and cleaving at rapid succession. An Aspect was primarily an elemental mage, but Taleisen manipulated the world in its entirety with his mind alone, a flurry of strikes outpacing even the fastest duelist. Amidst the iron storm, Nagi dashed, her short hair streaming behind her as she ran down the earthen walls. A mantra on her lips, she willed her fists to become iron before kicking off. Elbow strike, low kick, eye gouge, knee to the groin. Though her class was Assassin, her experience in Kyokushin Karate made her the only player that used the Exotic Weapon: Body to maximum effect. And though that experience couldn’t be fully leveraged against beasts or small creatures, the Warchief, at a truly humanoid size, was the perfect target for her fists and elbows, her feet and her knees. But a boss was nothing if not resilient. Pushing through Taleisen’s flying blades and Nagi’s punishing strikes, Vrazdol let out a blast of magical force that slammed the monk into an opposing wall and charged immediately, a decimating swing unleashed from his axe. [color=c4df9b][b]“Parry!”[/b][/color] In that moment, Chateau threw off his Light’s Bane Cloak, his twinned blades flashing out with a force that was hardly sufficient to physically counter the Warchief’s glorious blow. But this was not reality. There were laws that overruled all logic, and it was with that logic-defying move that the blond swordsman overruled the goblin’s earthshattering blow, bouncing the strike back even as Nagi bounced on her feet again. With a flick of his wrist, the surreptitious swordsman tossed his feathered hat over the face of the Warchief, before immediately launching into a powerful upper strike that launched even the armored boss monster to the sky. [color=c4df9b][b]“He’s all yours, Tada!”[/b][/color] [color=0076a3][b]“SHUT THE FUCK UPPPPPPPP!”[/b][/color] went the bespectacled Berserker. Leaping off the top of the wall, he somersault twice (losing his glasses in the process) before howling like an enraged demon and unleashing a full-spirited Decimate. The hammer struck deep as both player and monster crashed into the ground again. Tada was the first to act, his gauntleted hands ripping and tearing at Vrazdol’s armor, before a hard punch sent him tumbling back. But the Berserker tore off a shoulder piece for his efforts, and Tada smirked, hefting his greathammer on his shoulder before flipping the creature the bird and then pointed up. Against his better judgment, Vrazdol did so. It was a shadow. A deathly shadow, wielding a sword fit for execution. But it was also only a skinny, short Japanese middle schooler, with wide, innocent eyes and hair that had the habit of getting his way. It was Arata, one of the highest level adventurers in Talrae, the Level 16 Marauder who was the first to claim the head of Fenrir’s Herald. With a defiant roar, Vrazdol weaved his own cruel magic, ancient words of power spilling out of his mouth. But Taleisen’s chains burst out, denting the helmet and crushing the tempered metal against his lips. Nagi leapt in next, the martial artist twisting and turning like a snake as she locked down the champion’s dominant arm, her arms and legs tightening around it. Before the Warchief could throw her off with his other arm, Tada was already there, eyes mad with battlelust as he turned the bones to dust with another Decimating strike. Escape wasn’t an option either, Chateau’s oddly-shaped blades flickering out and slicing open the tendons. And finally, like a nail driven into a coffin, Cecilia’s spear thrust into the Warchief’s spine, the Lancer’s expression stone-cold as the <> status emerged upon their foe. Death came for all. There was no escape this time. [color=000000][b]“Calamity Crusher.”[/b][/color] It was an eternity, and it was an instant. Like lightning through the night, Arata’s <> sliced off the Warchief’s right arm in the same instant Nagi leapt off. Blood sprayed everywhere as Vrazdol roared in pain, his severed arm still squirming as the eldritch axe faded out of existence. Victory? No. They all knew it. Just like how the system allowed Chateau to parry an attack that should have snapped his blades in half, the system had also prevented Arata’s attack from cleaving through the Warchief’s skull. Nagi acted first, ki swirling in her open palm as she went for a stunning blow, but even she was too slow. From the earth beneath, green lightning shot upwards like a branching oak, wiping the world in godless light as the Warchief broke free of his bonds. In the death-defying light, Taleisen’s chains disintegrated, Cecilia’s spear melted, Nagi was tossed three stories up onto the wall, Tada was tossing every curse word he knew as he was pressed into the ground, and even Arata was forced back, the ordinary middle schooler smiling a savage grin that didn’t fit his babyface. What emerged from the wreckage was the true form of Vrazdol the Overeater. His own armor had been vaporized by the transformation, exposing an awe-inspiring musculature that stretched his red skin. Green veins pulsated underneath, and his heartbeat was a drumbeat, heard by every person within the arena. The stump of his right arm bubbled with tumorous flesh until it regenerated fully, and before him was an axe of even greater size. He grasped it, and with a single swing, levelled out the entire wall, the ring of electrical power turning the earthen arena into dust. For a moment, the great Warchief let out a laugh, expecting to be welcomed again by his Drummers, the elite warriors that would no doubt help him show these peons the true meaning of despair. But for all the screams of terror, all the revelry of his kind, there was not a single drumbeat. The growl turned from mirth to fury to confusion, the creature wheeling around, only to have his head snapped back by an echoing boom, the monster’s skull exposed for only a moment before that injury was regenerated. [color=f7941d][b]“Wow, this totally is a cheater, huh?”[/b][/color] An unbothered tone. A cavalier attitude. If Arata could claim the title of the strongest, then this man, dressed an ostentatious swallowtail suit and spinning two sleek sniper rifles in his hands, was most certainly the most skilled of them all. Killer Gram, the level 16 Gunslinger who doubtlessly had the highest number of monster kills in the game. And flanking him was Insomnant, the Purifier already weaving holy magic as he coated himself in resplendent flames. These two alone had cleared out the entire pack of elites while the others brought down the floor boss to his second stage, and now… Nagi picked herself up, spitting out a bloody wad and popping her shoulder back in. Taleisen opened up his inventory, drawing out his entire armory of thirty six rare weapons. Skygod emerged with an army of golems, each step smoothing over the ruptured earth. Tada laughed and flipped the bird at the Warchief, a new set of glasses on his nose. Chateau flippantly downed a Zephyrus Potion, a magical wind gathering around his form. Arata’s small hands tightened over his sword, eyes burning like smouldering coals. Cecilia let the last pixels of her Zenon Spear sift between her fingers like starsand, before, from the ether, the Langley Spear was called forth, razor-sharp and completely untouched. Two bullet casings popped and bounced out, and Killer Gram adjusted his goggles. [color=f7941d][b]“Well then, mates, let’s wrap this show up, eh?”[/b][/color] And, as one, they charged. Under the scarlet sky and the luminous rain, the Kill Team pushed themselves to the very limits, struggling against the constraints of the cold, heartless system to achieve something truly beyond their means. Their foe was terrible and almighty, drawing strength from the thousand souls of the fallen, each swing of his Overcharge Axe causing tremors that could be felt throughout the area, but Chateau and Insomnant pushed themselves to the brink as well, sharpening their senses to a razor point as they tanked and deflected, debuffed and healed, the chinks in their defenses made up for by Taleisen’s floating shields. In the wide open area, the Mind Aspect was at the fullest of his element, a man possessed as he dodged and deflected electrical arcs, while his own weapons were a swarm of bees, biting down with furious might. In that iron storm, Nagi and Arata were in their absolute element, Assassin and Executioner making use of the flying weapons as aerial footholds, fist and steel striking at every possible angle. They were spectacular, they were unstoppable, and they inspired greater fury in Tada as well, the lower-leveled Berserker calling on the foulest of his curses as he whaled upon Floor Boss with wild abandon. It didn’t matter if he was struck in return. It didn’t matter if he was tossed or bashed or shocked or anything like that. He kept on coming, a Berserker in the truest terms that howled like a mad man. And whenever he was in any true danger, Skygod’s golems would emerge from the ground, smashing into the enraged Warchief and buying the precious milliseconds for the Berserker to backstep out of a life-extinguishing blow. Further off, Killer Gram showed his expertise as well, firing a constant stream of armor-piercing bullets towards the monster. Each shot threaded a needle, each shot was a critical blow, each shot allowed someone else the opportunity to act, and soon, at his feet was a pool of golden bullet casings. This was a legend in the making. This was a story to be told. Each one of these adventurers were stars, a protagonist of the story, a guiding path for so many others to aspire towards. And in this legend, where was Cecilia? Well… She was everywhere. Intermittent flashes of her Redeeming Glows were all that served as a method of telling where she had gone, the Lancer accelerating to breakneck speeds. In one moment, her Piercing Strike paralyzed the Warchief before he could fully defend against Tada’s singular strikes. In another moment, she sailed to the backline, pulling Skygod away from a disintegrating beam. Yet still, she caught up with Nagi, tossing the martial artist a potion so she could sustain her pummeling combos. And she danced too beside Insomnant and Chateau, taking the full attention of the boss for just long enough that their cooldowns could be refreshed. A part of her raged against it, that she was incapable of outputting that same amount of damage. But another part of her knew that every action taken would help, no matter how insignificant it may appear. That was why she chose to specialize in Agility to begin with. One small step may not matter, but what about five? Ten? Twenty? If she piled up enough deeds, even she could become great. Even she could play a role in the finale. [color=6ecff6][b]“EARTHEN FORTRESS!” [/b][/color]Expending the last of his power, Skygod deflected a stream of calamitous lightning, falling back even as others rushed forwards. [color=c4df9b][b]“RIPOSTE!”[/b][/color] Rushing forward to receive the first blow, Chateau abused the laws of the system for the last time, the Overcharged Axe deflected even as his own beloved blades shattered like glass. [color=fdc68a][b]“TELEKINETIC AUGMENTATION!”[/b][/color] Gathering the scraps of his sundered armory, Taleisen crafted a new weapon, a hundred pieces of rare weaponry forming over Nagi’s fist. [color=ed145b][b]“MOUNTAIN CRUSHING PALM!”[/b][/color] And she answered his expectations in return, raven locks streaming as golden energy emerged in the cracks of the makeshift gauntlet before bursting into the goblin’s chest. [color=fff200][b]“EVEN THE ODDS!”[/b][/color] On the borderline of life and death, Insomnant unleashed the grandest counterswing of all, holy flame rushing out to consume the staggered Warchief. [b][color=0076a3]“DECI[/color][color=000000]MATE!”[/color][/b] Through the flames, Tada and Arata surged forth, weapons stripping away the flesh of the regenerating monster to exposing the ribcage beneath. [b][color=f7941d]“PENETRATING SHOT!”[/color][/b] Twin .50 cal bullets whistled by the Marauders’ ears, Killer Gram launched back by the recoil of his own shots, his masterful accuracy cracking open the bone-plate to expose the beating, putrid heart within. And, in the vacuum of everyone’s efforts… [color=FFE4E1][b]“Sprint. Quick Reflexes. Greater Accelerate.”[/b][/color] Cecilia ran off, meeting the first wave of green lightning. [color=FFE4E1][b]“Greater Dash.”[/b][/color] It was magic, naturally unavoidable, but she didn’t care, pushing through the pain to get at her target even faster than before. Beneath her, unholy magic turned the ground into a swamp, her legs suddenly sinking low. [color=FFE4E1][b]“Devastating Charge.”[/b][/color] In an instant, she shed those movement impairing effects, as light as a feather, her eyes focused on her target. The bone was repairing, the flesh was seeping back, the v- Suddenly, a drop of green lightning fell before her. An explosion shook the world, completely vaporizing her form. It was as if time stopped, for that single moment, and the Warchief’s lips turned upwards, strength returning to his body. Their chance was over. His time was now! [i]SHNNNNK.[/i] A flash of light, as transient and eternal as a shooting star. [color=FFE4E1][b]“Piercing Strike.”[/b][/color] Bloodied and scorched, drained to her very limits, Cecilia pushed her spear through the last gap within the ribcage, the tip barely making it in. With a coarse groan, the single goblin discarded his weapon, both hands reaching for the shaft. [b][color=ed145b]“No, you don’t!”[/color][/b] Nagi, even with one arm broken, leapt up and, with a twist of her hips, popped one arm right out of his shoulder. Arata, reaper that he was, drove his executing blade into the other arm, his canines emerging as he pinned it down. The Warchief groaned in agony, his life expiring, but his spirit still unbending. Opening his mouth, he forced the first words of power out of his mouth, tremors of magic responding to the last vestiges of his soul. [b][color=0076a3]“SHUT THE FUCK UP!”[/color][/b] Tada was there to respond now, his berserk visage like that of a God of War as he brought the hammer down upon the beast’s crown. He laughed, blood-drunk and light-headed, lost in the adrenaline. And, through it all, Cecilia pushed and pushed, fighting for each millimeter as the tip of her spear pushed deeper and deeper into the goblin’s heart. End it. End it. End it! … All he needed was an instance of tranquility. A quiet, shallow breath. A narrowing of his eyes. The pulling of a trigger. On Talrae, everyone knew that there was no marksman as skilled as he. But few knew that there were also none who were as kind as he. The bullet flew and struck the butt of the spear, transferring all that kinetic force into the weapon and giving it the last oomph needed to. Pop. The. Heart. The light faded from the Warchief’s eyes as his green veins faded, black blood gushing out of his extremities. A last whisper left his lips, a prayer for all the souls of his brothers and his sisters, his warriors and his friends. Slowly, the Warchief’s body dissolved, like ash in the wind. [center][img]https://i.imgur.com/RE2uyXn.png[/img][h1]LEVEL UP![/h1]+500 [color=ed1c24]EXP[/color] +10 [color=fff200]Gold[/color], D5 [color=C0C0C0]Silver[/color] [/center] [hider=Status] Big Battle Resource Results 70 Rounds - End of Battle All numbers are at end of battle before healing and/or using items. All resource consumption reflects during combat. [hider=River] [color=ed1c24]Health:[/color] 1200/2600 [color=6ecff6]Mana:[/color] 965/3950 Items Used: Electric Ward Ancient Mages Totem (2 charges) Blue potion Passives: Defensive Field: 36[/hider][hider=Naomi:] [color=ed1c24]Health:[/color] 800/2700 [color=6ecff6]Mana:[/color] 1250/3550 Items Used: Teleport Ring (1 charge) Greater Blue Potion (2) Passives: Mana Payback: 14 Mind Shock: 140[/hider][hider=Kira] [color=ed1c24]Health:[/color] 875/4100 [color=6ecff6]Mana:[/color] 300/2900 Items: Blue Potion (4) Greater Red Potion (1) Red Potion (3) Passive: Battle Focus: 14 Hilt Bash: 48[/hider][hider=Tower] [color=6ecff6]Health:[/color] 1145/7000 [color=ed1c24]Mana:[/color] 0/4050 Items: N/A Passives: Vengeful Smite: 300 Holy Miracle: 12 Inspiring Presence: 80 Detect Danger: 96[/hider][hider=Prome] [color=ed1c24]Health:[/color] 1/1000 [color=6ecff6]Mana:[/color] 0/2000 Item Consumed: N/A[/hider][hider=Cecilia] [color=ed1c24]Health:[/color] 250/2200 [color=6ecff6]Mana:[/color] 600/3300 Item Consumed: Greater Red Potion (3) Greater Blue Potion (2) Passives: Light-Speed Escape: 2 Flexible: 19[/hider][hider=Holly] [color=ed1c24]Health:[/color] 550/2100 [color=6ecff6]Mana:[/color] 200/1700 Items: Greater Red Potion (3) Greater Blue Potion (2) Arrows (100) Passives: Experienced Hunter: +D50 XP Accuracy Rating: 60% Additional Notes: Holly realized that 100 arrows was not enough for for a three to four hour fight and started bashing goblins in the face with her indestructible bow.[/hider][Hider=Kipper] [color=ed1c24]Health:[/color] 200/2000 [color=6ecff6]Mana:[/color] 3450/3850 Items: Blue Potions (3) Passives: Mana Payback: 26 Lust for Fire: 24[/hider] [/hider]