VitaVitaAR

The Storm Cycle: Reclamation

While Fio was glad that Niall had not been captured, she was not exactly happy to hear about how likely they'd be facing that Tuatha man again. Not that there was any chance she would lose in a fight with him. No, no, the Sword Witch still maintained perfect confidence in herself. Rather, it was more a matter of how irritating he would be this time if he appeared. Still, the Owl Knight's information was intriguing, to say the least.

The Fomorians were using people to create some sort of abominable constructs. Out of everything that Sir Niall said, that was what caught her attention the most.

Was it merely some twisted experiment, or were they intending to perform a large-scale raid? Did these actions have anything to do with the Wings of Dark? These were the questions that ran through the small girl's mind as she adjusted her hat and leaned forward.

"Were you able to glean any further information? Did they appear to have any goals with these... aberrations? Or was it all just for the sake of evil experiments and plundering?"

@Rune_Alchemist@Pyromania99@FrogRFlowR

Clockwork Heart: Odyssesy of Steam

@Raineh Daze: Accepted.

The Storm Cycle: Reclamation

"Y-y-you...!"

She'd been trying to be mature and comfort the Queen, only to have her hair ruffled like she was a little child!? And that embarrassing comment...!

The pout on Fio's lips likely didn't help with that childish impression, as the petite little Witch folded her arms across her chest in irritation.

But the mood changed once again, as Sorcha discussed her feelings on attempting to live up to the King. Regardless of her true nature, it was difficult to feel that those sentiments were anything but genuine. Fio couldn't deny them. Besides, they really did have an important duty to attend to at the moment.

Further stories could wait.

Fio reached out, allowing herself to be pulled to her feet, her delicate little hand in the Queen's as she brushed herself off lightly. She was about to offer more words of comfort, when-

"D-Drunken tryst?! I-Idiot! F-fool! U-Unfit Royal!"

It should have come to no surprise that her sword materialized almost instantly, the flat swinging down to smack the Queen squarely on the head.

@Rune_Alchemist

Clockwork Heart: Odyssesy of Steam

@RBYDark: Accepted.

Arknights - E.R.R.A.N.T.

• Name: Lisabelle Salwet
• Codename: Flare
• Race: Draco
• Personality: The stalwart blade of Victoria, who will stare death in the face and never back down. Flare carries pride in her heart, for the martial tradition of her family. Even now, after contracting oripathy and leaving her homeland and duties behind, Flare has not forgotten the purpose behind her training. She does not back down, she does not surrender. Of course, she is not a foo who takes battle lightly. Her self-assuredness is not misplaced, nor does it mean she is incapable of self-reflection. Flare is possessed of excellent judgement, and while her attitude can sometimes seem aloof and cold she is in fact quite dedicated to ideals such as protecting the innocent and the safety of her allies. In spite of this, there's more then a few of her fellow Operators who see her has overly harsh and uncompromising. Flare is especially cold towards those who chase personal glory at all costs, and those who do not value their allegiances. But beneath this steely exterior, there is a sense of failure. Of guilt, at having to leave the one she was supposed to protect behind. A longing to at least see her again someday. This guilt is perhaps one of the reasons Flare has a special care for children, especially young girls. It's simply difficult for her no to feel emotional attachment towards those who remind her of the one she was once charged to protect. Regardless, Flare is a dedicated Operator with a strong sense of duty, who will not falter in order to complete her tasks. At times, this may be a danger to her own wellbeing, as she will push her body far beyond its limits in order to complete her task.
• History: With a legacy of military service both on the frontlines and as guards for nobility, it was only natural that the young daughter of the Salwet family would enter into the same life as her ancestors did. Enrolled in the Victorian Royal Guard Academy, Flare excelled in her lessons, taking to them as naturally as she breathed. While she carried herself with pride, and did not hesitate to mention her own capabilities, it was not in the form of bragging. Rather, it was simply as a statement of fact. To do anything less would be a disservice to the legacy of her ancestors. To the name of the Victorian Royal Guard Academy. It was this matter-of-fact approach to her own combat abilities that ignited anger and jealousy in some of her classmates. The praise Flare received only caused those feelings to burn all the more hotly.
  
  It was perhaps unsurprising Flare found herself challenged.
  
  The outcome was obvious, at least in her mind. She claimed victory, leaving her jealous classmate on the ground, floored in seconds.
  
  The incident was quite a stir, at the time, but eventually things quieted down. After all, it was a simple challenge with no serious injuries.
  
  Flare had no idea that her words of praise towards her opponent could have ignited even deeper feelings of hatred among those who already nursed envy.
  
  Flare graduated from the Royal Guard Academy with honors, and soon become a guardian for the young daughter of a high-profile noble family. The girl's mother, a woman whom Flare knew in her youth and considered an elder sister, was overjoyed to know that someone like Flare would be handling the protection of her child. The young girl, named Bethany, was initially shy around Flare but came to be quite friendly towards her. Just as Flare once saw her mother as an older sister, Bethany came to see Flare as an older sister. Albeit one tasked with destroying any threat that the little girl faced.
  
  It was after a series of threats against Bethany's family that Flare lead an increasingly heightened security detail. Indeed, Flare slew several would-be attackers shortly before the final incident.
  
  An explosive was detonated at a public park.
  
  Flare used her own body like a shield, curling herself around Bethany's body.
  
  The little girl survived. Through some miracle, so did Flare herself.
  
  Bethany's father did not.
  
  It was only after medical treatment for her injuries that Flare discovered she had contracted oripathy from the explosive. Soon after, she learned that the woman she once saw as an elder sister could no longer even look at her without being reminded of her husband's death.
  
  The ultimate perpetrators behind the explosion were never found.
  
  It is in this state that Flare left Bethany's security detail, and after performing some work as a mercenary and swiftly earning a name for herself in that profession, she found her way to Rhodes Island.
• State of Infection: Infected. Lesions are largely internal, resulting in occasional coughing fits and minor internal bleeding. Rest is recommended during these periods of weakness. Please do not ignore this recommendation again.

---

• Skills: Possessed of exceptional skill in swordplay, her primary method of combat. Flare is swift and precise in battle, utilizing a combination of her arts and her blades to inflict damage rapidly. She excels in conflict on-foot, but is weaker against long-range high-impact attacks.
• Abilities: Flare's arts allow for the manipulation of the Thermal Energy State. Particularly, this allows her to generate flames by rapidly introducing heat. She can use this for short-range attacks, igniting her weaponry, and even causing small close-range explosions. In particular, she often uses this to armor-piercing effects by penetrating a hard target with one of her blades and then causing flames to erupt inside of it.
• Equipment: Flare carries two sabres as her primary method of combat. However, stored within a special case she carries during combat is a sword gifted to her by her grandfather, Solais. A straightsword of considerable length, Flare reserves it for serious opponents whom require a further edge in combat. Solais has a constantly burning edge, which can be greater enhanced by Flare's arts. When used in conjunction, it is capable of releasing a wave of searing heat that can melt even sturdy armor and burn away flesh and bone in an instant, though it requires some time unsheathed to build enough heat for this purpose.

Bible of Ichor: Septet for the Dead

To be honest, there were more then a few reasons why Aleksiya didn't want to try breaking the gate down herself. For one, it was a part of this city and a valuable barrier. For the other, she wouldn't be able to stand being unable to do it. She couldn't let anyone see her fail. It simply wasn't an option, and she unfortunately couldn't be sure about her own capabilities given how hungry she was. Thus, the petite vampire really had no choice but to follow Giselle's lead.

Thankfully, it seemed this choice was a fruitful one.

The small door led them into a fittingly unimpressive room, but at least it was shelter away from all those obnoxious skeletons and whatever irritant was pursuing them. She'd pay it back tenfold for forcing them to rush in such an unbecoming fashion.

Unfortunately, this particular bit of shelter was not unoccupied. There was another tenant, and sadly it wasn't even an interesting one. A dried out, desiccated, leathery corpse that didn't even appear to have any blood left inside of it. Was that all they were going to encounter here? Aleksiya was so hungry, too!

She was already preparing to cast a spell when it suddenly screamed, letting out an awful, deafening shriek that left her ears ringing. Putting one hand to her head, the small vampire winced as she took aim. So shortly after she awakened, and she's met with such an obnoxious sound!?

"Shut up!"

A ball of ice formed at the tip of her finger, surrounded by circles of light for a moment before being sent hurtling through the air, aimed squarely at the undead's head.

@Rune_Alchemist@Click This

Arknights - E.R.R.A.N.T.

@Raineh Daze: I think Flare is all done!

Clockwork Heart: Odyssesy of Steam

Characters:

Clockwork Heart: Odyssesy of Steam

@Rune_Alchemist: Accepted!

Blades of Iron Roses: An Anime-Inspired Fantasy Knight RP

It really did come down to a difference in perspective.

Fanilly had been very young when she first learned of her position as a successor to the Iron Rose Knights' leadership. But even as a small child, she was aware something had changed. Her education took a considerably different track. She had gone from a potential candidate to a certain candidate, and one that would be needed as soon as she came of age. Matters of military, of warfare. The way to use a sword. She had gone from a noble's daughter who would never see combat to a knight-in-training incredibly swiftly.

Her perspective from her education was one that had groomed her for a leadership role. Of course she would fight on the battlefield, but she would also command her knights in battle strategy. Thus, it was not the perspective of a single soldier who must execute those commands.

No matter how embarrassing she found her failure to consider all the possible sources of information, it ultimately came down to the gap in their perspectives. And that made Sir Gerard all the more useful as a partner in searching these books for clues, didn't it?

And so...

Places of madness. Locations that could insight sudden violence or loss of sanity. Or perhaps locations afflicted with strange curses, like the withering of plantlife or the avoidance of animals.

It was in the tome that Sir Gerard had just presented, the Thaln's Locales - The Many Faces of the Homeland, that she found something that peaked her curiosity.

"Here, look here..."

Pointing to the passage in question, it read.

Brennan Forest is lush and fertile with life, perfect for the enterprising hunter or the herbalist. But one must be aware of the dangers, and one danger is particularly curious. The remains of an orcish temple, erected to some profane and wicked figure lay long abandoned in the forest's eastern reaches. While the last of its inhabitants were slain long ago, it is still considered a place of evil. It is said that dark thoughts of violence and madness can manifest in those who spend more then a few hours nearby. Of course, this place exists only in the tales of wild adventurers, so it's difficult to verify the truth behind them. But historical records do indicate an orc temple once stood in Brennan, and thus it would be unwise to remain unaware of the potential danger.

@HereComesTheSnow