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A Hero Tale {Complete}

Mikey didn't say anything, but he did point Jenso towards the tent near the edge of the arena. "In there, the mages will restore your energy as best they can, and heal your wounds," Mikey stated. "Hurry though. From what I've heard, my opponent has forfeited as well.."

---

~ End Of Chapter 54~

The Faraway Land

Ventus snatched the water skin from the woman's grasp as quickly as he could and drank until he could handle no more. As he'd expected, the water did little to quench his thirst, but it was a pleasant distraction. He did not suspect poison or foul play, not after being rescued from a humiliating defeat, but still refused the offering of food from his apparent ally with a gentle wave of his hand.

"Who are you, and where have you taken me?" Ventus grunted, dropping the water skin to the floor. "Where is this camp?" Speaking helped, having anything to set his mind to did wonders for him. But how long could he go on like this?

A Hero Tale {Complete}

"Haha, I'm not so sure about that," Mikey rasped, "I didn't think I'd see anyone nearly as strong as I was at this tournament, but now that I've seen you and Ross fight- Hell, I gotta admit, I'm not that confident in my abilities anymore!"

A Hero Tale: Lystra

Emilia looked up at Lystra for a moment, and shook her head. "Half of us are still asleep, and Gremma's hut is farther away from Fuso's than most.. I can go fetch her, though-" Emilia paused and looked towards Fuso's wife, who'd been fast asleep through the entire ordeal. Her sickness seemed to be more serious than one might've thought at a first glance, but there wasn't much that the local doctors could do about what they didn't quite understand. "I'm sure she'll be fine!.. Truth is, I'd rather stay here with you."

"It's not broken," one man barked, pressing into Lystra's wrist with his thumb, "I'm surprised that it isn't broken, really. You have some uncanny tenacity, Lystra." Fuso rolled towards Lystra and glared at the girl's arm curiously.

"Fuso! Please, don't move," A woman begged from the opposite side. Fuso ignored her and scanned Lystra's body curiously, eventually fixating on her shield. He didn't witness what she'd done, but based on that fact that she was still standing, and had been negligibly injured, he inferred that she was indeed the one who had fended Zelriane off, all on her own. The idea struck him like a ton of bricks. Just how could she have done such a thing?

Lystra felt a warmth crawl up her arm, from within the depths of her shield, as the man in front of her began to wrap her free wrist. It was similar to what she'd felt earlier, but had a different tone to it. It almost felt like something was calling out to her. Something... Alive.

"Lystra," Fuso wheezed, trying to catch the girl's attention from where he was laying.

A Hero Tale: Victor

Shock and terror, the body was none other than Vermont's laid limp before the entrance-way in a sloppy manner. The old man's neck was torn wide open, and blood was still spreading rapidly across the hardwood floor. The cut was precise, aimed to open his jugular without damaging the tissue that held his head in place, and around where the skin was parted with a sharpened blade, four small holes pierced Vermont's flesh, akin to that of a bite mark.

"Oh, he's coming inside~" A woman's voice reverberated through the front entrance hall, emanating from the testing chamber that Vermont had used the night before to demonstrate his abilities. It was unfamiliar to Victor. Who was that?

"Of course, so foolish," Vale's voice rung out. It was him, after all! "I smell his blood, oh yes, so youthful, would it be a sin for me to partake? Just a handful, oh though you can't really stop me, can you?" The two voices came from inside the chamber, but before Victor could respond or retreat, the woman called to him:

"Come on in, little boy! There's no need to fear this roundabout little vampire!"

A Hero Tale: Oswald

Fred shrugged while running and continued deeper into the forest. "They likely won't! But if we can split em up, they might not be so dangerous- I usually don't get caught out by this many! They're weak, on their own!" Fred wheezed. It was true, the little creatures might have had weapon-like bodies, they were small and frail. One good strike might end up disabling one, if not outright killing it. "Either that, or we reach the edge of the forest! They aint too keen on leaving the shade.."

The Faraway Land

His body felt like it was held in place by daggers. Even then, he could manage to move, despite the short stabbing pains that shot across his wounds as his muscles shifted uncomfortably. Ventus glared at the small Orc that spoke to him, still taking a moment to catch his bearings. On instinct alone, he reached for his ebony blade, but could not find it attached to his holster. Most of his leather armor was removed as well. He lay there nearly naked, with bandages covering the lengths of his wounds. Did this little orc speak truth? Ventus deigned to ask who his saviors were, but memories of those wretched beasts slashing at him while he moved around clumsily in his pride-struck stupor were fresh in his mind. He took momentary solace in the fact that the warband's leader was struck down, but it didn't do anything to satisfy the painful thirst that scratched at his tongue. The orc assassin narrowed his eyes and saw his savior in a new light, looking the little orc over with deadly intent. The blood would help him heal. The thirst would stop. Suddenly, the only thing on his mind was leaping towards his tiny Orc savior and tearing out his jugular with his own sharpened claws. But a thought snapped him out of it, where was he? Who was this? Just how was this Orc so small?

"Where am I, child-" He blurted, almost incoherently, followed by a string of light, dry coughs, "Who.. Who-" Ventus began to lose consciousness, but managed to keep a sliver of his sanity from slipping away. The thirst clawed at what little reasoning he had left, but what could be gained from feeding on this little orc, right now? Surely, he was surrounded. Even if his wounds would heal, and his stamina could return, it would just be prolonging the inevitable.

A Hero Tale {Complete}

Mikey was standing at the edge and waving Jenso over. "Rough moves out there, Jenso!" He complimented, "I didn't know you had it in you, honestly."

Scattered Shades: Arcadia Chronicles

---

Divers Paradise

---

A shriek of pure terror ripped across the entire breadth of Diver's Paradise, sounding loud enough to alert Anyone inside the cavernous space. It was Abigail Mara, a casual Diver who's ear-rending vocal magics made monsters flee in fear. With he last breath, however, she'd done well enough to alert the entire cavern to her distress. Only a few hours after the CMAS attack, the local Divers were under attack once again.

---

Divers Paradise, East Entrance

@Jensoman@LokiLeo789

---

Luke immediately backed away from Jenso and Len, shocked by the sudden burst of noise. He recognized it immediately, Abigail's voice, just as he'd recognize any other unique magical prowess among the Divers in his paradise. "Abbie??" Luke croaked, moving towards the edge of the eastern overlook, and scanning the many facilities within the pit of the Paradise. "Jenso, hey! Jenso!" He called out, immediately trying to catch the man's attention when he noticed that something wasn't right. "Everyone! Everybody, scatter! We're under attack!"

The streets and paths below him were suddenly tainted with chaos. In mere moments, men and woman were being pulled out of plain view and into the shadows. A chorus of screams rang out briefly, one after another, only to be silenced by whoever had pulled them aside to begin with. Luke caught sight of a few victims before they'd been disabled, at least 5 Divers he'd recognized by name, and shook his head angrily.

These new attackers were specifically targeting the most powerful Divers in the paradise.

"Shit! Shit! Shit!! Shit!!!" Luke howled, turned towards the exit ramp as quickly as he could. But before he could leave, another scream echoed from behind him, further back to where the Pillar had been undergoing repairs. Another man he'd recognized, Tulio, was pulled behind a pile of stone by one of the Divers that were initially working with Len. Not moments later, the two aggressive Divers behind Len, lurched towards him and Jenso with spherical objects in their hands, eager to press them against the skin of their new targets. "Jenso, Len!" Luke shouted, too late to assist either of them with his own strength. He hoped dearly that it was enough, that they would turn around and fend off their attackers without issue.

---

Diver's Paradise, Western Entrance

@Rekaigan

---

After the initial shriek, there were more, and more. Shouts of agony, whiffed out one after another but an unknown threat. Oswyn could hear it all, but one voice rang familiar. It was Kevin's, closer than any other, not too far from where he'd been set up. Such a powerful man, at least in theory, was shouting for help. But his voice was not immediately snuffed out. What in the world was happening?

Scattered Shades: Arcadia Chronicles

---

Illon, Reginald's Quarters

@13org

---

"Ahoy!" A raspy voice called out joyfully. Pride spun towards it and summoned a layer of Ki around his hands, forming visible claws that protruded past her fingertips and resembled those of a beast. A unique trait among Ki users, the ability to manifest Ki outside the body, even if only slightly. The approaching figure became clear as day, not hidden by any trickery, and revealing himself as a relatively tall, lanky man with long silver hair that he kept tied back in a braided ponytail. He widened his hands and offered a sparkling white smile, wide as he could manage. His skin was pale, similar to that of a dead man, and his eyes were hollow, white as well with slightly faded pupils. Peculiar, that it was. His features were strange, from his pale skin and hair, down to his elongated, sharpened canines. This man was trouble, but he walked without alertness in his stride. "Aren't we out past our bedtimes, oh but what a silly fool I'm being as the sun is still high, Idiot! Greetings, salutations, a bundle of hellos, to my two new friends of the Seven Sins! Pardon me for asking, I'm quite uninformed about this region's deadliest, but would you be so kind as to offer me your names?" The man asked, shifting the speed and tone of his voice at random. He spoke with a melody in his voice sometimes, and shrilly with increased tempo others, with the occasional brutish overtone that made him sound more vicious than he initially appeared. Pride looked to Lust for a moment, somewhat puzzled on how to proceed.

"He is the source of this wretched Ki," Pride said, "He was present in Reginald's chamber, but.."

"Oh, pish posh! Accusations so soon? We've only just met!" The stranger said, bowing politely. His new posture revealed a long, straight blade, sheathed on his back. It was at least 5 feet in length, unusually long, and had a black hilt that seemed to suck all light away. "I am called Damien Valefor," The man stated, "Kust call me Vale, if you'd please," He hissed.