• 40 HP
  

  MAX 201 HP

• 14 EN
  

  MAX 135 EN

• 06 STK
  

  Dissonance

Location: Soul Path

Roland teleported in with a wheeze. Though there may have been few large open wounds across his body, he had sustained large black markings throughout it, giving him a ghoulish look to counter even Ashiore's current appearance. Even Roland wasn't sure how he had sustained so much damage, but it didn't matter currently. Gritting his teeth through the pain he wobbled over to Saya, at whom glared at.

"What are you doing?" he barked rtheorically as he neared her. "What exactly are you still doing here? In case you haven't noticed the fight is still going on. I get you got hurt, to be honest, I thought you were dead. But you were saved, or saved yourself it doesn't matter. You are alive scar or not. "

Roland cleared his throat, trying to calm down. He failed to do so, exchanging his fiery words with one seeped with poison, "I just sent a man to die, and likely left another two to do the same. Why? Because there isn't anything I can do. I tried my best, and that monster tossed me aside like a ragdoll. So they will go and try their hardest, and if they're lucky they will wind up like me. And if not? Dead. Like all the others this monster has killed. "

Roland paused his gaze finally becoming softer, "You are the strongest of us. I saw that with my own eyes. Your strength and speed even without your sword are leagues beyond our own. Yet you stay in here, 'safe' mumbling about a lost item." Roland ripped his sword from his hip, thrusting its hilt at Saya, "Take mine, take Brad's, take Kyu's, take anything you want, but you have to go back in there. If you don't we all die. Which is fine with me, because if we fail here, this monster will take a lot more lives than Im willing to live with. What about you?"
@Tertoria

(No Action taken)

 

• 110 HP
  

  MAX 134 HP

• 72 EN
  

  MAX 206 EN

• 09 STK
  

  Dissonance

Location: Soul Path

No movement
+25 HP/EN for recovery (no action last cycle)
-20 EN for Dispel

Looking healthier. But there wasn't time to to go ahead and heal up the rest. It looked like they'd have to be going in again. And Lady Saya had materialized here too, looking beaten up but... well, not dead. That was as good as she could hope for.

No time to think about that, though. As the others began moving and others began speaking with Saya, Ashiore preoccupied herself with some last minute first aid. There was some sort of malaise clinging to people. Without full access to the protective aura that protected them at the beginning of the fight, that would be a problem. Best to minimize that.

When it was decided who was to be switched in for the next leg of the fight, Ashiore made her way over to @Aalam Abungu. "Here, let me," she said, and spoke the words to the dispelling spell. She hoped it would be enough.

Dispel @Aalam Abungu
-5 stacks
Tracker / No Roll

 

"...Huh?"

Saya's eyes were half closed as her mind was lost in thought. The recent events had totaled up in a way that bothered her more than it should have to others, but it was for reasons. Reasons she honestly continued to reject. If what she was thinking was true...

She pretty much just nodded or preferred to be asleep for the Astorean's when they spoke to her. However one man did not accept that. One man challenged her situation and demanded to know why she did nothing. His words...made sense... she did want to do her job. Actually, she was slowly hating this Guardian Angel shtick. It was too late for that now, she wanted to be a sacrifice for Tertoria's safety and so she was.

Wasn't that what the Oracle said at the Cathedral? Her purpose was to protect?

That should be enough...

"Duke Rutledge."

She still had a few tricks left. She still had Arch Angel, her copy spiritual Arbiter... she still had life. Des had brought her here from a possible death. Death she thought was impossible considering... the words Des told her upon bringing her back to this path. Why did she say that?

"I don't need your sword... "

Saya straightened her body and checked her scar again. It was healing quickly... she could do this. She had to face Arbiter and get it back herself.

"I have to go and fight. It's what I do. I will finish this and you all will not have to do anything else. This is my responsibility."

Smiling tiredly she made her way back to the battlefield. Her armor glowing faintly.

Lady Saya is returning to the Core! She will arrive on Cycle 7!
3000/5000

 

• 92 HP
  

  MAX 145 HP

• 35 EN
  

  MAX 130 EN

• 20 STK
  

  Dissonance

Location: Soul Path

-15 EN for Single-target Heal

As he watched Roland as he gave a speech so good that he spurred Saya into action, he wondered if he can be as good as him. In battle he had quite easily thrashed him, and even in spurring others into action he was also better than him. He tried, but he could not keep up to Roland's legend...

This is your chance to be the best in the whole world. While he's not looking, while he was still trusting you, kill him. You will get the recognition you deserve.

This Dissonance... this demon again. When will this blithering asshole shut up its mouth and stop bickering on him. But he knew that with the massive amount of Dissonance on his body, that demon whispering on his mind would persist, and so he needed to remove this from his body as soon as possible. But first he needed to seal the wounds of everybody in here.

From the corner of his eye, he saw his former commander drinking away the pain from his body. Noticing his wounds were almost as grievous as his own, he then materialized one of his brews: a bottle of sacramental wine, the best conduit for healing by white magic. Of course it should be paired with sacramental bread, and Bradwynne infused them with white magic for the purpose of healing. He then moved towards Aalam, and gave those items to him. Which, he thought, should help him heal his wounds.

Healing @Aalam Abungu for 50
10 + 28 + 12 = 50
Tracker / Roll

 

• 64 HP
  

  MAX 134 HP

• 142 EN
  

  MAX 142 EN

• 10 STK
  

  Dissonance

Location: Soul Path

+25 EN from Cycle 5 Rest
+25 HP from Cycle 5 Rest

She looked up as @Nalla returned to the soul path, relieved her friend had not died in sacrifice again. It was a bit worrying. Was Nalla addicted to dying, now? Sacrificing herself for the greater good? Her heart ached at the thought. It was painful to lose her friend over and over again, watching as death slowly took apart what she knew of them.

She smiled weakly at Nalla as she reached out with a bit of her sleeve to wipe away the blood on her face. "You looked good. Did good." Her ears and tail twitched with nervous energy as the duo watched the ensuing fight on the screen. Every blast, every close call…

Kyupin wanted to squeeze her eyes shut and block out everything – pretend this horrible fight wasn't really happening. Another part of her, the stronger part, knew she had to keep watching. Had to be ready to swap in at any moment, had to know the weaknesses and the strengths. Though it was hard to focus on the boss when her own teammates were going about with the most extravagant of speeches. Honestly. What was with the speeches?

She blinked and rubbed at her face as people flickered in and out of the soul path. "Ah, I wasn't chosen again," she said, a half-joking tone to her voice. "I always get picked last. At least I get to rest my feet a bit."

The ragged Felis rose to her feet, stumbling slightly as the bruises on her sore body cried in protest. "But I'm still heading in before you go again, Nalla. No sacrificing yourself." She narrowed her eyes at her friend, daring her to protest. "Okay?"

On that note, she turned and looked at who was left in the soul path. "I can head in soon to give Lady Saya backup, but I might need a bit of patching up health wise before I do. Anybody still have the energy to spare for that?" She hated asking for help, but she'd do it if necessary. And in this case, where all her friends (and the world) were in danger? She'd ask for help as many times as she had to, to get the job done.

Cycle 5 - Rest

 

• 72 HP
  

  MAX 175 HP

• 59 EN
  

  MAX 150 EN

• 10 STK
  

  Dissonance

+25 HP Cycle 5 Resting
+25 EN Cycle 5 Resting
+20 EN Cycle 6 Meditate

Location: Soul Path

"NOBODY IS GOING TO DIE TODAY, GODAMNIT!" Seigi cried out as she witnessed @Roland Rutledge harsh, but true, words thrown at @Tertoria Saya. Seigi got actually, kind of, annoyed.

"And you!" She pointed at Saya before throwing the bottle of cheap ale to the side she had just emptied.

"Stop triggering even more death-flags, talking about how you take responsibility and finish this all alone. That's how you die. We. Are. In. This. TOGETHER. Stop being a dumb brute and WORK WITH US! Don't throw your fucking life away. You know what? Don't be goddamn suicidal! Don't go crying about how you hurt your pinkie-toe either. Fight with GUTS and EFFORT, but not with STUPID. I'm sick of losing people over and over again. After this is over, we're ALL going to enjoy eating ice-cream TOGETHER. Just punch it really hard. Is that so hard to understand?!" Seigi started...flailing(?) a bit. Did the booze get to her?

"JUSTICE ALWAYS WINS! THAT'S IT. I'll go in there again as well and show you how to PUNCH PROPERLY."

Recover Energy
+20 EN
Tracker

 

• 92 HP
  

  MAX 145 HP

• 20 EN
  

  MAX 130 EN

• 20 STK
  

  Dissonance

Location: Soul Path

-15 EN for Single-target Heal

As he saw the bottle being thrown by @Seigi, Bradwynne instinctively caught it, but he almost fumbled while catching it. Maybe it was because his vitality had not yet returned to its original state after he had healed the gash on his abdomen. He just sighed on how useless he was. Can not fight, and after a long while, can not even heal effectively. Again he was hearing the demon in his mind speak, but he was doing a good job blotting it out of his mind. Even when he would lose all of his energy, he would try to heal them all. It was his job right now, and he would fulfill it as much as possible.

He then said to Seigi, as he then moved the bottle to his inventory, "Hey, we should not leave trash here. Maybe Ivan would get pissed if he would see a messy soul path. Maybe we might be even locked out of using this if he would see all the mess." He then smiled as he then cleaned the area to keep it clean.

He then saw another person that had been suffering from her wounds Although he had seen this person suffering for a long time, he had prioritized healing those who he knew. Regretting his favoritism, he then cast a quick healing spell towards her direction. With this error in mind, he then strived to heal everyone according to their needs.

Healing @Nalla for 58
18 + 28 + 12 = 58
Tracker / Roll

 

• 72 HP
  

  MAX 175 HP

• 79 EN
  

  MAX 150 EN

• 10 STK
  

  Dissonance

+20 EN Cycle 6 Meditate

Location: Soul Path

"I was trying to make a point, @Bradwynne! A point." Sure was convenient to still use the virtual inventory, huh? If only... but he wasn't wrong. This clean place should probably be kept clean but then what about all the splashes of fat from the meat and stuff? And... was he planning to clean- Shaking her head Seigi sighed. That was beside the point, and silly even for her.

"Aaaahhhhh whatever, I need more food! More Food. If a Hero's gotta fight a Hero has to eat." Eating to regain willpower was a weird but effective form of regaining Energy! And it worked in Anime all the time, too!

Recover Energy
+20 EN
Tracker

 

• 84 HP
  

  MAX 139 HP

• 69 EN
  

  MAX 126 EN

• 00 STK
  

  Dissonance

Location: Soul Path

+20 EN from Recover Energy

After the madness of the Core the tranquility of the Soul Path was both somewhat confusing and calming, Mizuki feeling the dread she experienced as Titania revealed her true form dying down as she instead breathed steadily, even as she watched the fight in the core unfold. It looked like Roland had convinced Saya to get back into the fight, which might be necessary as things were looking very dire now. Even if they knew how much health the Dissonance had now things were definitely taking a more grim turn.

When Titania unleashed her latest set of attacks Mizuki's eyes widened as after quite some fighting finally the first of their party fell, one obliterated by a barrage of blade and the other impaled and torn apart. A gruesome sight, the wolfwoman looking uncomfortable even as she kept watching. It was a good thing there were several people here who could revive the recently deceased, but she wasn't sure what dying did to you inside the Core. The Dissonance targeted the soul as much as the body it seemed, so maybe reviving someone wasn't as easy as it seemed.

Hearing Titania mention that Twilight was coming for all she frowned, thinking back to what had happened before. When the Dissonance talked about Dissonance it had talked about someone who already was in Dusk, and the same counted for Dawn. Dusk stabbed Roland but he didn't die, Dawn stabbed Aalam and he did die. Frowning in deep thought Mizuki tried to figure out what that phrasing meant. Was Titania still coherent and did the different phrasing mean something...?

We'll have to revive those two the moment they're back in here. Let's hope the other two can drag them out safely before Twilight hits...

Thinking about the phrasing Mizuki shook her head, unable to see the link. Why had Dusk targeted Roland but failed to kill him, and why had Dawn target Aalam and succeeded?

Feeling the weight of the Dissonance suddenly disappear Mizuki was shaken out of her thoughts, momentarily forgetting her concerns as she instead tried to think of where the Dissonance had gone. She hadn't noticed anyone casting any cleansing spell, so how did it just disappear?

Recover Energy
20
Tracker / Roll

 

• 104 HP
  

  MAX 125 HP

• 73 EN
  

  MAX 173 EN

• 00 STK
  

  Dissonance

Location: Soul Path

+25HP/EN from Resting (Cycle 5)
+33EN from Deep Breathing (Cycle 6)
+58HP from @Bradwynne's Super Awesome Heal

"Y-yeah..." She nodded to @Kyupin Felnya. These terms were agreement she had made before, when the two of them had stood upon the beach. But since changing forms, that memory had not returned to her mind until now. But it's not about sacrificing myself, she thought. It's about... At this point, she chuckled, perhaps recognizing her own blasphemy. Being a hero!

Don't be foolish. You have to be smart to survive.

Heroes are strong. Strength is the gift I offer.

The pyromancer scratched her head, still watching as the four active players battled with the monstrosity before them. Idly, her scan of the battlefield observed, not expecting anything too drastic to happen. An argument between the opposing forces in her mind waged war, lobbing meteors and cannonballs at each other, one attempting to smother the fire, while it spread and ate up the earth beneath it. Their voices were getting louder, and Nalla's tolerance of this soon met it's end. All of this commotion when--

Perhaps it was her soul that sensed it, or her eyes had been more focused than she perceived. She knew it was coming, and stared, as the armada of flying swords soared towards @Rat. This character was her friend, not just in the game, but in the real world as well. With eyes wide, she soaked in the brutality, recognizing her own mortality even more so. How was it fair? That she had been so careless and escaped with her life, when her friend was struck down so senselessly? How was that equitable?

She looked down at her wounds, tempted to begin cauterizing them. It was taking too slow. The regeneration of the Soul Path was constant and helpful, but it needed hastening. But before her fireborne hand reached towards the closing wounds, another's magic became present. It was familiar to her friend Rat's, certainly a similar magic, but this was cast by @Bradwynne, one that the pyromancer had not yet met. Suddenly, her wounds sealed nearly completely. Nalla looked towards this stranger with wide eyes. "T-Thank you... Really!" She stared down at herself in disbelief. Certainly a sizable leap towards being ready to go back out there.

Do not be reckless. Be aware, be cautious. Be a survivor.

Will you avenge her? Will you be merciless? Be a hero.

Nalla closed her eyes, taking a few deep breaths, calming her resolve. "I-I will."

Deep Breathing
13 + 20 = 33
Tracker / Roll

 

• 148 HP
  

  MAX 187 HP

• 72 EN
  

  MAX 156 EN

• 11 STK
  

  Dissonance

Location: Soul Path

Mortician Delivery!

Gwyn tore into the Soul Path with a snarl and immediately dropped the mutilated remains of Rat at her feet, followed by a more gentle laying down of Aalam's limp form. She got halfway through a glance over her shoulder before the rolling feeling in her torso warned her otherwise. If she witnessed the sword swords voids do their work again, she doubted blood would be the worst thing she'd be cleaning and polishing off her armor. It was too expensive to be put through the wringer outside of its intended use. She steadied herself with a breath and looked up to those she knew capable of healing. Namely @Bradwynne.

"If anyone can revive, get Rat first. She can get Aalam back up. We can't afford to have them down for long. We need everyone and everything we can get."

As the three she nodded toward the portal made their way back out into the fight, Gwyn lifted a hand to catch @Kyupin Felnya's in passing. Only a moment's touch to gentle her and steady herself. It was all she needed for the moment. They had been through worse and it wasn't over yet.

"Wish you good aim, Kitten. Give our quarry hell, huh?" She smiled wrly at the Felis. They couldn't waste much more time than that. She only hoped what awaited the other wouldn't match Rat and Aalam's temporary fates.

She'd have to reconsider her specs and take a good, long, hard look at Berserk if Kyupin fell because she couldn't weather the storm just that much longer.

Entering Soul Path for Cycle Six.
Recovering HP and EN for Cycle Seven.

 

• 64 HP
  

  MAX 134 HP

• 142 EN
  

  MAX 142 EN

• 00 STK
  

  Dissonance

Location: Soul Path

Her heart sunk to her belly as @Rat met beams of death, splattering into nothing more than a puddle of blood and flesh in the other reality. And alongside her, @Aalam Abungu was felled as well, skewered upon spikes aplenty. She threw herself at the screen with a scream, smashing her fist against it. "SWITCH ME IN!" she screamed. Pound. POUND! "NO! THEY CAN'T—NO!"

She could barely see through her tears by the time Gwyn managed to gather their bodies and bring them through the portal to the soul path. It was only Gwyn's gentle touch and fierce encouragement that clued Kyupin in to their arrival – to the beginning of her turn. It was reassuring to feel @Gwyn ap Herne there. To know that, perhaps, those two would be back soon.

But the pure fury burning in her veins could not be contained.

As she stepped through the portal with fire in her eyes and nails in her palms, she left but one drop of blood, dripping from the crescents she'd dug into delicate flesh.

"I'll be back soon," she said, voice hoarse from her screaming.

No Action

 

• 84 HP
  

  MAX 139 HP

• 89 EN
  

  MAX 126 EN

• 00 STK
  

  Dissonance

Location: Soul Path

+20 EN from Recover Energy

Switching in, switching out... Gwyn quickly grabbed the two dead and pulled them into the Soul Path, Mizuki watching with some surprise and awe at the ease with which the archer reacted to the situation. It was inspirational, and if Gwyn didn't look like she was entirely comfortable there wasn't anyone who would blame her, since watching your combat buddies get torn apart and then having to drag their mutilated forms to safety was going to be an unpleasant task for almost everyone.

Raising her hand Mizuki was about to begin the casting that would revive Rat when she hesitated. She certainly was capable of it, but it'd be a significant drain on her energy and she had to monitor that particular resource carefully now. Titania was striking at their energy as ruthlessly as their health, and beyond that Mizuki wasn't sure what to think of all the Dissonance suddenly disappearing. A look of uncertainty on her face before she lowered her hand again, instead just watching in silence as she first looked at Gwyn and the bodies of Aalam and Rat, and then at their enemy in the Core.

She still felt like she was missing something, but she couldn't figure it out with the information she had... Or she wasn't calm and collected enough to think of it. Her brow furrowed and her tail went high to signal her irritation to the people around her, her ears pointing backwards even as she closed her eyes and breathed deeply. They had to win this. Even if not everyone treated this world as being 'real' there was the simple fact at this point that the Dissonance appeared capable of keeping people from logging out, so even those who wouldn't have minded letting Titania lay waste to the kingdoms still had something important to lose now.

And she couldn't perform well if she spent too much time pondering and not enough time controlling her breathing, making sure she took in enough of the tranquility and restorative nature of the Soul Path that she'd be all right for combat once it was her turn again.

Recover Energy
20
Tracker / Roll

 

• 104 HP
  

  MAX 125 HP

• 108 EN
  

  MAX 173 EN

• 00 STK
  

  Dissonance

Location: Soul Path

+35 EN from Deep Breathing

Breathe in.

@Kyupin Felnya's outburst met Nalla's ears. You shouldn't have ran. @Gwyn ap Herne returned from the battlefield, carrying the weight of the slain upon herself. The corpses hit the ground. The words she spoke to the healer did not register in Nalla's mind. Instead, the phrases were covered in a film of dullness, as though her ears were eyes, peering through the wrong lenses. You could've killed her. It could've been finished. YOU HAD IT! The heat in her hands seared her fingerprints into her palms. YOU RAN!

Breathe out.

Her friend lay in blood, while the other lay in emptiness. It's not your fault. But you can make things right. She stared down at the wounds of @Rat, and towards the drained corpse of @Aalam Abungu. Her eye twitched. Rest now. Deep breaths. Gwyn looked towards @Bradwynne with the determination of a soldier, speaking with control. You can prevent it from happening again. You can do it.

Breathe in.

You stand among the dead. Embers fell from the ends of her hair, like an orange snow. Her body moved to one side, then the other, nearly losing it's balance. When you fail to kill, it is them who suffers. GO BACK! A fiery vein crawled from the left side of Nalla's right eye, reaching towards her pupil. Her eyelids felt heavy, and her blood ran hot. The air at brushed against her was cold and unforgiving. FINISH IT!

Breathe out.

Rest now. You cannot bring them back. Her head hung down, and she scratched her head, her expression consisting of nothing more than an empty confusion. Perhaps she had not fully grasped the gruesome image in front of her. With the eyes of an analytical detective, dressed in blue attire, she looked down at the defeated. She examined their wounds and stared into their listless eyes. She registered their horror into a file. You'll have your chance soon.

Breathe in.

MAKE IT RIGHT! She looked up towards the wavering portals to the battlefield with the ferocity of a great fire. One that raged and consumed all that there was to consume. One that fueled itself upon destruction and hatred, living off of the pleasure of bringing cataclysm to the earth around it. Another vein reached for her eye. DO IT!

"It is almost time."

Deep Breathing
15 + 20 = 35
Tracker / Roll