• 70 HP
  

  MAX 110 HP

• 15 EN
  

  MAX 100 EN

• 11 STK
  

  Dissonance

Location: Zone F > X

Moving from ZF to ZX
-20 EN for AoE Heal
-20 HP for Acid Sea & Storm
+1 Dissonance

It was so hard to grow broccoli while running through acid with all the violence underway just like a Black Friday sale. Janet dodged players and sprinted like it was Thanksgiving Day and she was missing one ingredient for the casserole. The brunette clutched her helmet-turned-flowerpot tight against her chest as she ran, puffing heavily as she resisted the temptation to dump the growing vegetable and shield her head from the acid rain instead. “Eeeeek!” Seeing tentacles burst from people around her, Janet let out a high-pitched shriek. As she did, the mind-deafening noise struck again and the world—and its horrors—drained away. Wh-what’s… happening... Her thoughts became quiet. There was a peace in this feeling, dull and dank as it was.

And Janet understood, as righteous anger built in a passionate crescendo at the center of her chest, exploding out to every limb—she tasted blood in her mouth as she bit her tongue. Her grip loosened on her helmet, threatening to spill its contents. She wanted more. The craving overtook her and tears of hot rage sprang into Janet’s eyes, spilling down her face in glistening streaks. She always wanted more. She wasted her whole life caring for people who never cared about her. Why should she keep doing it? Why should she bother with other people when it was them who’d done this to her? She should be the one fighting—the urge to snatch up a fallen weapon and assault the eye rose within her. I’M TIRED OF BEING THE WOMAN WHO WAITS AT HOME…

It was a trap.

The realization flooded in as huge rifts in reality tore themselves into being. It’s all a trap. We have to get out of here. Not understanding the significance of the portals, Janet hoped they were being evacuated and hurriedly shoved a stalk of broccoli at the next person headed through. “Here! Hurry, take this—oh, it’s you!” Well, @Ash Vargold seemed to have enjoyed it the first time. Who else? Sensing another reckless canine-boy, Janet cocked back her arm and hurled the last missile of broccoli-shaped nature magic like a shotput towards @Aristides. She inhaled and screamed “Quick, eat that before you go! It’s a great source of dietary fiber!” They didn’t have much time before the monster consumed them all like green vegetables and thrived off their nutritional value…

Healing @Aristides and @Ash Vargold for 22
19 + 16 + 9 = 44
Roll / Tracker

 

• 124 HP
  

  MAX 129 HP

• 175 EN
  

  MAX 195 EN

• 12 STK
  

  Dissonance

Location: Zone H

-10 EN for attacking
+1 dissonance for attacking

Gasp! It seemed as though her heroic speeching didn't properly inspire people into action! But! But she was the one with the mustache! Clearly, these people were so overcome with the awe of its might that they needed MORE encouragement to commit everything to this fight.

"Do not be in such aw of my impressive mustache that it limits your valor, comrades! I am but a simple, common, normal, every day, all powerful world saving special super deluxe limited edition luxury sports model God favored virgin warrior waifu! It is nothing special- but WE are! Our love and our friendship is what is going to drive this Dissonance back, with the harmony of our hearts! I! I'm running out of things to say hereeeee-okay and that giant tentacle is hitting that shield, wow! When did that happen? You guys, get it together and hit stuff! My mustache commands you!"
Again, she hurled a spell of pure light at the Gaze, frowning as it had limited results on the monstrous form.

Attack on Gaze
38 + 60 = 98
Tracker / Roll
Target: 4026 / 16666 HP

 

• 51 HP
  

  MAX 116 HP

• 24 EN
  

  MAX 149 EN

• 19 STK
  

  Dissonance

Location: Zone G

Moving from Z0 to Z0
-15 EN for healing @Lucia Mierz
-5 HP from acid rainstorm
-10 HP from Dissonance damage
+1 Dissonance

The spray of acid raining down from overhead didn't really bother her. In previous VRMMOs, she always found a way to make acidic attacks her kind of specialty. Nothing put the fear in the hearts of rival guild members than watching their comrades' digital skin melt off their rendered faces.

It was the tentacles that were bursting from her pale skin that scared the shit out of her.

Madison's grip tightened on the briars keeping her from tumbling into the rising sea of acid behind her. Sharp thorns dug into the writing tendrils of corruption for a bit of extra traction.

How much longer is this going to fucking take?! Some of us have to work in the morning!

Through the chaos of the battle against Titanius, the witch caught a familiar figure tumbling towards her.

Madison's eyes went wide. "Lucia!"

@Lucia Mierz was covered in bite marks that pierced her acid-soaked armor. Blood was leaking all over the place, staining the ground, feeding the monster her energy. Madison found the strength in her to shuffle her deck once more.

Arranging a trio of cards in the air, the woman weaved a desperate spell. Focusing entirely on the priestess, she poured whatever mana she could spare into the patch of leafy vines that snaked out of the ground and wrapped themselves around her friend. She could only hope that she was strong enough to patch up all of Lucia's wounds. If not, then... well, the way things were going, they were all fucked anyway, right?

Heal @Lucia Mierz for 36
11 + 16 + 9 = 36
Tracker / Roll

 

• 105 HP
  

  MAX 120 HP

• 80 EN
  

  MAX 170 EN

• 17 STK
  

  Dissonance

Location: Zone D

+20 EN for Recover Energy
+1 dissonance for any action taken

As the storm of acid was nearing, Ilusa prepared herself for the pain, but-

The queen had erected a barrier of light that stopped it from reaching anyone nearby. It was a relief. Yet a familiar in its incomparability sound echoed and pain assaulted Ilusa and-

Nadia felt serene. No pain, apathy drowned her, followed by the all-consuming anger. Layers upon layers were pierced, opened, laid bare. The grief tore at her. The hollowness it left was filled with pain, rage, murderous intent and blood that she shed and was shed for her. The loneliness shone. The inability to speak meaningfully with her son, the distance between them, the gaping wound that her husband left. The loss and fear, the crippling pain and near death. Everything spilled forth, everything was laid bare. The hatred that festered inside her, appeased by the game. The meetings in the game and the curiosity. The possessiveness that fuelled anger when what was hers was hurt. The pain of betrayal of one of the people in the firm, who was selling information and the need to have him gone and the blood on her hands that increased because of that. The anger for what happened to Astor and the suspicion about the game.

Her body- something dark and slick moved through it and she felt her body mutate because of it. Ilusa’s flesh changed, but she also felt her own mind change, Nadia’s mind saw things. It saw things and had a realisation, it felt the thoughts of the huge thing. Even as she wryly laughed at ‘how realistic this game was’ and ‘what interesting spin the game creators put in’ there was fear. The meddling with mind was too strong. It was not something a game should have access to.

The anger kept rising inside her, the will to murder too.

A voice called her back from it.

Ilusa’s face was set in a snarl, teeth bared, ears flattened and a hiss leaving her lips, her hands digging into the fleshy ground. It was not a face of benevolent healer, but a person truly, completely capable of murder. She stayed still, trying to rest and get herself under control.

The idea of going through the portal was a very tempting one. Even if it meant leaving Astor.. At least he was in the safest area and she would be back soon. “Stay safe Astor. I’ll be see if I can help with the rift.. The squid.. Sounds tasty now.” The bloodlust that accompanied the last sentence was not hidden.

Recover Energy
20
(Tracker) Ancient Dissonance / No Roll

 

• 065 HP
  

  MAX 100 HP

• 045 EN
  

  MAX 100 EN

• 11 STK
  

  Dissonance

Location: Zone C

Moving from ZB to ZC
-10 HP from Acid Storm
-15 HP from Acid Sea
-20 EN from Dispelling
+1 Dissonance Stack

Quickly leaving the zone was probably the best idea that Lycia had heard since they fell into this hellhole. The acid quickly devoured the “land” that the twin kittens were standing on and Lycia couldn’t help the yelp of pain that assaulted her vocal chords when the acid touched her skin. She was too slow, even as she tried to dance out of the way, her hand always outstretched to her sister in case she needed help.

Yet, the moment the two touched hands again, Lycia felt it. Apathy. It was unlike anything she had felt before in her young life. She just…didn’t care. She didn’t care if she lived or died or if this girl who shared her mother’s womb with her lived or died. The players around her, the people fighting the good fight or slowly dying because of the acid raining down upon them didn’t matter. Why were they even here? Who cared if this massive beast devoured the world?

Didn’t they deserve it?

Suddenly, a masculine voice reached her ears. The timbre alone snapped her out of her glazed over look, her fingers tightening around Milah’s hand and yanking her to safety.

I-I-I don’t know what that was! she called to her sister before turning lavender eyes toward @Libitina Cerin . Did you hear that? There was a voice and I didn’t care. About anything! Nothing at all.

Her newfound friend looked to be basically in good health, so Lycia’s attention roved over to @Milah and then @Nikephoros . Eyes danced around the dimly lit interior, the sounds of battle pressing in on her slender ears. They folded back against her head, unable to see with the noise.

I gotta get these tentacles off people! she said with renewed conviction. The zils chimed in her free hand, the familiar magic lifting from the dented and bents cymbals. A single eighth note hovered in the air as if asking for direction. Lycia bit her lower lip, looked around, and noticed another familiar face, one she hadn’t gotten along with before. Maybe this would smooth things over?

@Madison Freebird ! Don’t be frightened! I’m going to get those tentacles off you! And like a war commander, a determined visage covering her otherwise young features, she pointed to the plague witch and the eighth note danced over to her, wrapping her in musical magic that sliced off the invading corruption.

Dispel @Madison Freebird
2 Dissonance Stacks
Tracker / No Roll

 

• 54 HP
  

  MAX 100 HP

• 30 EN
  

  MAX 100 EN

• 17 STK
  

  Dissonance

Location: Zone D

-5 HP from Acid Storm
-15 HP from Acid Sea
-10 HP from Tentacle Burst
+22 HP from @Janet Reilly
+1 Dissonance from any action

Ash wasn’t real.

He… she… Aisling knew that. Ash was a convenient mask, a way to pretend she could be something greater. It was old and familiar, and an absolute lie. Titanius mocked her with this, with the things she came to Terrasphere to forget about, of the dreary world and the dreary life and the dreary person that she was, slowly ripping that mask off to let all those insecurities come free.

Maybe this isn’t so bad, some distant part of her thought, as she continue to sink in. Maybe this was the escape she really wanted…

A sharp cry, a call to action. Ash snapped from his reverie. Once again he was half-drowning in acid, caught in a veritable sea. He felt near numb as he swam for higher ground, coughing and hacking and instinctively ripping at the tentacles blooming like anemones from his skin.

“Damnit, damnit…” He hissed in pain as he stood up, frantically putting up a call on area chat as he stared at the portal he needed to pass through.

He heard a familiar voice and looked up to see @Janet Reilly, offering more broccoli. A bit of light returned to his eyes as he accepted the stalk, scarfing it down. Once his mouth was mostly clear, he nodded. “Thank you again! I'll find a way to make this up to you!”

Ash stood, and with the last of his energy he bolted under D’va’s barrier, which shuddered under the gargantuan tentacle’s assault. There wasn’t much time. He had to get into the portal, and now!

Extra movement
Zone G to Zone D

 

• 74 HP
  

  MAX 124 HP

• 26 EN
  

  MAX 116 EN

• 11 STK
  

  Dissonance

Location: Zone G

+20 EN (Recover Energy Action)
-2 HP (Acid Mist)
+1 Dissonance

"Hehehe, energy is starting to run low again! Majolicas retreat! Hehehe, I'm going to get some more energy and bring everyone out again! Hehehe, that's the plan! We can just keep doing that, hehehe, and I gain mana! Isn't that awesome! Hehehe!"

"Oooh, so we get to keep coming in, hehe, like boxing rounds!"

"Hehehehehe!"

"Hehehe, good plan! And we get more energy back every time so we gain! Hehehe, Majolicas are geniuses!"

"Hehe, as long as I get to punch this eye in the face some more, hehehe, I'm a very happy Majolica!"

"Yes, hehehe, beating up this eye is the best! Hehehe, soon it will bow down to all Majolicas, as we show this and every other monster in the world, why we're The Grand Witch! Hehehehe!"

"Heheheh! Yes! These dummy monsters can't withstand the full power of a multiple Majolica destruction onslaught! Hehehe!"

"This dummy couldn't even take one Majolica, hehehe, much less a whole gang of us! Hehehe!"

"Hehehe, good! Now retreat, I need to drain myself again! Hehehe!"

The Majolica clones called back in unison.

"Hehehe, roger Domina Prime!"

After the explanation, the Majolicas vanished.

"Hehehe, now to just--"

As she prepared to drain herself again, a wave of nausea ran through her. The sensation reminded her of the agony she had experienced when she drained the dissonance monster.

"Ughhh, hehe."

It ran like unadulterated toxicity through every fiber of her. Unlike others who may have felt a sort of serene apathy, for Majolica it was closer to an allergic reaction. As she clenched her body waiting for the feeling to pass, she gritted her teeth.

"Hehehe, now you've done it. I didn't like that hehe."

As the wave of illness passed, Majolica saw that the monster was now opening portals to different areas.

"Hehehe, trying to spread or invade? Hehehehe, I won't have it! As Commander of the Witch Ops, it's my job to protect the world! Hehehehe, I won't let you hurt any more of my subjects! Hehehe, as future ruler of the world, hehe, I will end you!"

Majolica looked down as she continued to drain herself.

Come on come on come come one! Hehehe, we've gotta hurry! It's opening portals and who knows what will happen if even a little bit of it gets out! Hehehe, it's up to me!

Regen Action

Tracker / Roll

 

• 100 HP
  

  MAX 154 HP

• 65 EN
  

  MAX 136 EN

• 16 STK
  

  Dissonance

Location: Zone C

+35 EN from Deep Breathing
+1 Dissonance Stack
-15 HP from Tentacle Burst
-5 HP from Acid Rain

She was still numb, still worn out, but she had work to do and couldn't risk rushing off whilst she was still feeling on the verge of collapsing. Luna grit her teeth and steadied herself against Natiri again, blinking as she looked around her at the rising acid and the people all around her. Some of them were in the acid, maybe some people had even been killed and dissolved at the back of the room already?

She blinked back tears at that thought, looking back down to Natiri as she continued to regulate her breathing more. Something would be happening soon, she couldn't afford to be tired or useless.

A wrenching, wet sound echoed close to her as small tentacles burst through her skin, painfully. Oh so painfully. She squeaked and clenched her eyes shut. No! She couldn't be merging with Titanius! How had she been so infected already!?

Deep Breathing
15 + 20 = 35
Tracker / Roll

 

• 40 HP
  

  MAX 128 HP

• 50 EN
  

  MAX 100 EN

• 11 STK
  

  Dissonance

Location: Zone B

+20 EN from resting
-20 HP from everything
Jumping through Rift IV

Something felt weird inside of her. This.. this is Titanius' dissonance? There's only one thing Corvella could conclude after the short experience; chaos. That's why she and the others are going to defeat this monstrosity once and for all. The knightly figure jumped down to recover her shield before Ivan, the redeemed cultist who works for Ynglar Brotherhood informed of rifts opening all over the world. Looks like Titanius still has power to try destroying and merging with them all.

She quickly navigated her way to find a portal prepared by the brotherhood, specifically to transport them into Hylands to close the rift. Not everybody can enter it, of course. Due to the nature of the magic, only few chosen which are highly compatible with the rift are able to walk through it. Being one of the chosen, the blonde and the others stepped into the portal after looking back at the battlegrounds, hoping that the adventurers can hold off while she and the rest of the team head out to close the rift.

Resting before jumping through Rift IV
Tracker

 

• 60 HP
  

  MAX 100 HP

• 25 EN
  

  MAX 100 EN

• 17 STK
  

  Dissonance

Location: Zone H

Moving from ZD to ZH
-15 EN for Critical Strike
+1 Dissonance for Critical strike

Meh, Raid was just being overly composed, he needed to learn to have fun! The group was doing fine, taking down both the NPCs no sweat! They were totally winning this. Then again Jericho had forgot that the giant eye monster was still a thing. Coming back down to fight everyone else. The lady stood up again. Oh no, were they gonna have to fight them both!?

That didn't seem to be the case as she called the monster out and created a giant shield to protect the area he was in. A giant tentacle smashing against causing it to crack like an egg. Phew, that was close, odds are that would have been quite painful to get hit by. "Thanks scary but not as scary any more lady," He said shooting her a thumbs up and began on his move to the eye. That was the gold choice afterall.

He flipped through noticing the almost lake of acid. He hopped no one he knew was in there... He went for a jump on the eye and he slipped... Just barely nicking the eye for some damage. Darn it, he hopped no one had seen that.

Critical strike on Titanius Gaze
3 = 3
Tracker / Roll
Target: 4023 / 16666 HP

 

• 100 HP
  

  MAX 100 HP

• 65 EN
  

  MAX 100 EN

• 10 STK
  

  Dissonance

Location: Zone D

+20 EN for Recover

Feryn had not expected other players to rush over and aid the woman he had stopped beside. She had just been tearing through them bodily with the impressive lance and empowered shield, but he supposed they were well aware of the corruption. Perhaps some knew of her outside of the fight and spurred into action accordingly? Not a mystery he cared to solve and even less so when there were suddenly multiple more bodies around him trying to help her. The Caenis' ears flattened to his skull and tilted back and he attempted to shift back and away from them. To give them room. Definitely.

His pulse was already flying from the setting around them, the acid storm down the way, the disgusting eye watching them, and the muted feeling of countless souls pressing at the world from within the creature's mass. Their close proximity added to the discomfort and beyond that? The Queen did as well.

She was up with a pained sound and the lingering trace of mana closing up her wounds or banishing the corruption. Feryn hunkered down some as she took up the shield he had draped over her and flinched when she snatched up her lance to slam it down amidst the gathered players. He cracked an eye open at the distinct lack of his immediate death at her hands and sighed with a small tremble as a shield shimmered around their area.

Ma'am (@Raid Master)... d-do you perhaps- ah- acquire ad-dditional assistance?

Recover Energy
Tracker

 

• 45 HP
  

  MAX 100 HP

• 40 EN
  

  MAX 100 EN

• 13 STK
  

  Dissonance

Location: Zone G

- Displaced from Zone L to Zone G
- 50 damage taken from Gaze
- 5 Damage taken from Acid Rain
-10 EN for Normal Attack
- Dragged into Rift IV Portal

With victory came defeat. Triumphant over a single tendril, as devastating as it had been, was nothing compared to the grand scheme of things. Acidic liquid rain from the sky. The vile substance discriminated against none as it violently evaporated anything it came into contact with. Armor, especially trash tier, melded into flesh as it succumbed and melted at the venomous touch.

Purple eyes swept the battlefield for shelter from the abnormal storm. The true source remained unknown to the long-haired woman, though, as more dire circumstances were taking action. She didn't notice that the monster's mutated main eye had move, causing the geyser and hungrily seeking its prey. When she felt the disturbance underneath her feet it was too late.

Vibrations caused her to swivel towards @Lucia Mierz, "Run-" The warning came too late. Shangri La was caught off by the Gargantuan Gaze bursting forth through the surface. Vicious, ravenous teeth latched onto her. An indescribable sound escaped her mouth as pure dread caused her face to pale.

Pain shot through her body. Run, escape, flee, she could hear her mind yell over the pain that threatened to overwhelm her. Her body was slipping downwards into, further into the depths of endless teeth.

Shit - do something! Shangri La yelled at her body to move before she became ingredients for a protein shake. With what strength she could muster, she stabbed her polearm in a space between a pair of the teeth. Momentarily the processing machine was paused. Within seconds the junky weapon would snap so she didn't have long.

Like a torpedo, she launched herself forward, forcing a powerful gust of wind into the eye (teeth?) of her opponent. Unfortunately, her landing was far from gracefully and she skidded to a halt a distance a way from the eye.

Both physically and mentally she felt numb as she wearily lifted up her head, looking around for @Lucia Mierz and hoping she too made it out of the mess. Before she could truly recuperate, though, a voice signaled in her head. Words about a portal and needing to close it..

Shangri La was still trying to calm down from being ground like beef when she was sucked into the portal.

Normal Attack on Gaze
88
Tracker / Roll
Target: 3935 / 16666 HP

 

• 96 HP
  

  MAX 116 HP

• 21 EN
  

  MAX 146 EN

• 15 STK
  

  Dissonance

Location: Zone D

Moving from ZH to ZD
-20 EN for AoE Heal
-5 HP from Acid Rain
+1 Dissonance from AoE Heal

The sound that filled the stomach of the old god was both painful and confusing, leaving Vina dazed as she didn't know what it was, where it came from or what it was for. In her dazed state she felt herself get drawn into Titanius, into a sea of hopelessness and apathy. Why resist? Why fight? She couldn't speak, but her thoughts ran all through one another as she tried to answer but couldn't immediately think of one.

When the anger filled her she... didn't know what to do. There were memories, unpleasant and painful memories, but still... The white-haired Felis felt confused, uncertain, going through those memories.

Fortunately before her confusion was resolved one way or another Ivan woke her up, Vina blinking and shaking her head before realizing her entire body was trembling, the memories still fresh in her mind. Times of disappointment, times of sadness, times of feeling like the world was unmeasurably cruel and that humans only existed as toys. But... well, now that her mind was no longer being blanked she remembered how she got through all those times: the world might not always be nice, it might not always be gentle, but just because it had bad times didn't mean the good times didn't exist, or that they didn't mean anything.

The world was a beautiful place, and filled with beautiful things and people. Looking at the large eye Vina's expression became sad for a moment. Did the eldritch abomination really feel like that all the time?

Well, there wasn't anything she could do about that. Looking around Vina quickly poured some of her energy into restorative magics that spread through the battlefield, seeking out those whose life force was weak to support them and help them back into condition. With that done Vina looked at the portal that had opened up leading to one of the rifts Titanius had created, diving in to help save that place from being devoured by the endless Dissonance.

AoE Heal @Ceres for 16 @Raid for 16 @Aristides for 16
19 + 29 = 48 (16 + 16 + 16)
Tracker / Roll

 

• 110 HP
  

  MAX 115 HP

• 101 EN
  

  MAX 111 EN

• 12 STK
  

  Dissonance

Location: Zone G

-10 EN for Attack
+1 Dissonance for Attacking
-5 HP Acid Storm

His earlier strike landed fairly well but he wasn't about to be done yet, even as his skin burned from the droplets of acid that fell upon it, he figured going back to the barrier may be a bad idea. Why? Well it was starting to crack, wasn't it? That meant the Gaze had it's attention focused onto the barrier with all the others in it. It'd be better for him to stay where he was and just keep striking, to do as much damage to this thing as possible.

So he did just that, he let loose another torrent of throwing knives from his distance back from the Gaze's position and just tried to keep as low a profile as possible. It was times like these he was happy that his skin was a dark tan with lots of dark tattoos on it~.

Attack on Gargantuan Gaze
05 + 10 + 10 = 25
Tracker / Roll
Target: 3910 / 16666 HP