vive memor mortis.

Result: Barely hit!

Well, it didn’t hit him. He backed off quickly enough to avoid the worst of it, water bursting from the vessel upon impact with the sand and splashing onto his feet. A little too close for comfort—he has no desire to be drenched again.

A raised brow, and he turns in the direction of Dimitri’s voice—

Result: Hit!

Ah. It may as well have been a tidal wave for how it crashes into him, thoroughly drenching him from head to toe with the excess dripping from saturated hair and fabric. He blinks once. Twice.

“You have five seconds to start running.”

A frown. Doesn’t seem like there’s anywhere he can go where people armed with water-based weaponry won’t show up, to his mild dismay. The best he can do is keep moving to avoid being caught in the crossfire—

Result: Hit!

Wetness explodes against his back, plastering his shirt to it and spreading with each passing second. The perpetrator is already long gone, too concerned with running to even notice they’ve hit someone in the process.

Result: Miss!

It is really not wise to openly declare one’s intent to be an aggressor. Evading the projectiles is hardly a challenge, years of practiced grace and agility allowing him to emerge from the assault completely unharmed. “I’ll pass, if it’s all the same to you. Go pick on someone else,” Lloyd waves him off, faintly irked that his undisturbed view’s been compromised as he walks away to find a new location.

Again? The students never seem to tire of these games, but Lloyd supposes it’s better than moping around while they’re being held in this realm. He’d kept a distance from the center of the chaos and intended to find a good vantage point to watch from, and yet—

Result: Miss!

Someone’s gotten it into their head that non-participants are fair game. The swordsman hears it before he sees it—the sound of water being fired in his direction—and nimbly sidesteps the attempt, allowing it to harmlessly soak the sand instead. “Careful, now. I’m but a bystander—I wouldn’t waste shots on someone who isn’t playing if I were you.”

tagged by: all of you buffoons

nicknames: i chose ren for myself to go along with my decision to use they/them pronouns; i do not perceive any of my past internet nicknames. have also been called renny, rennifer, renold, rennington, etc etc by several of you, as well as “goose” in viet by my parents.

zodiac: leo sun, pisces moon, leo rising. fire ox + rabbit ascendant (eastern)

height: 5′4″ though i haven’t actually measured myself in years LMAO so who knows

timezone: EST

listening to: fate/grand order original soundtrack iv, disc 2

last movie i saw: i could not tell you because i watch movies maybe once a year or so, but probably promare…

last thing i googled: …code geass because i had to double check something. i don’t trust my memory a lot of the time HAHA

average amount of sleep: somewhere between 6-8 hours. i can function on less, but i won’t be happy about it.

what i’m wearing: viet pjs but like the summer kind

dream job: something that pays enough for me to live comfortably but also isn’t physically demanding because my ankles hate me. minimal conversation also preferred do not interact with me

dream trip: idk honestly, my family used to travel for vacation every summer so there’s nowhere i really want to go anymore.

favorite food: kettle-cooked salt and vinegar chips

play any instruments: used to play violin. also used to sing and still technically do but exclusively to myself

eye color: brown.

hair color: dark brown, reddish tint under sunlight

languages: english, vietnamese (speaking only, and even then i’m not fluent), some fragmented japanese from studying it in high school

most iconic song: paramore’s brick by boring brick stuck out to me for all of middle and high school tbh

random fact about me: i let my sister try to cut my hair about a month ago because it was Goddamn hot and long dark hair bad. she was too impatient to do more than just haphazardly hack off chunks of it with scissors so my mom had to sit me back down and fix it to the best of her ability and i have very short hair now but my bangs constantly fall into my eyes without a hairclip.

reason for my url: regalblades is a nod to the weapon morph!lloyd wields in the final chapter of fe7, though ‘regalblade’ was taken so i tacked on an S at the end. alfvangr is a combination of ‘alfonse’ and ‘fólkvangr’ to match fenrena (sharena’s url), though i previously had his url as ‘sessrumnirse’ which was a nod to the goddess freyja’s hall located within fólkvangr in norse mythology.

APHRODITE (2). laughter-loving, sweet smiles, dressed in silk and satin, flower in their hair, thrives on attention, sees the world as a runway, unapologetically sexual, the sea washing their ankles, in love with love, stirrer of passion, cunning concealed by painted lips, secret daggers, doves, revolution in their kiss, delighting in the waves, flirtatious winks, strolling along the beach, staring wistfully from a balcony, this is how to be a heartbreaker, your girlfriend thinks they’re attractive, wants to be adored, turned on by danger.

APOLLO (0).  glitz and glamour, art galleries, turning the volume up, being made of gold, neatly-organized music sheets, notebooks filled with poetry, bathing in the sunlight, the powerful urge to create, collecting vinyl records, beautiful cover of wonderwall, playing multiple instruments, tasting like sunshine, healing touch, speaking in prophecies, smile mingled wrath, shunning lies, sporting shades, hanging out at music festivals with their friends, sleeping naked, arrow to the heart, paint brushes.

ARES (8). armed for battle, wants to raise a dog with their significant other, soft spot for children, gives piggyback rides, scarred body, blood on their hands and face, willing to fight the world for the ones they love, fights against injustice, warm hugs, well-worn combat boots, boxing gloves, bandages wrapped around bruised knuckles, fist raised in protest, ignites revolutions, fear is a prison, more sensitive than what their tough shell will make you think, exhausted, damaged goods, force to be reckoned with, red roses, curses under their breath.

ARTEMIS (9). keen sense of a hunter, freckles like constellations on their skin, piercing eyes, disheveled braid, moonlight peeking through the shadows, the calm of the forest at night, lying on the grass and staring at the stars, mother doe and her fawn, protecting their kin, the moon shimmering on a still lake, quiver full of arrows resting against the bark of a tree, running with wolves, bonding while circled around a campfire, not being much of a people person, arrow hitting a target, popping egos, patience on 3%, touches heaven and returns howling.

ATHENA (4).  discerning gaze, unreadable face, the patience of a lifelong teacher, quiet museums, owl perched on their finger, armor that intimidates, eye for architecture, studied the blade while everyone else was busy getting laid, big fan of logic, loves brain teasers, go-getter, balls of wool displayed on shelves, ancient buildings, sweaters in neutrals and cool colors, hair done up, can kill you with their brain, heads to the library often to research, sharpened pencils, abs that can cut steel, stoic statues, pottery classes.

DEMETER (5). soil-covered hands, smile that can bloom flowers, skin loved by the sun, being the mom-friend, flowers kept in the pockets of overalls, takes pride in their beautiful garden, speaks to their plants (elementals), leaves rustling in the wind, stalks of wheat, picking fruit, greenhouses, heart as strong as a mountain, values simplicity, daisies dotted across a collarbone, curls crowned with flowers, folded pile of sweaters in warm hues, pulling out fresh-baked bread out of the oven and the smell wafting through the air.

DIONYSUS (2). drunk shitposter, on their sixth glass of wine before you’ve even finished your second, seductive smirks, untamed curls, rich fabrics on dark skin, sleek-furred panthers, theater masks, stage productions, receiving a standing ovation, rose caught between their teeth, being the baby of the bunch, wild parties that last from sundown to sunup, creeping vines, inspiring loyalty, grand opera houses, masquerade balls, rolls of film, shattered chandeliers with broken glass scattered across the floor, pouring champagne into flutes, lives for the applause.

HEPHAESTUS (2). the calloused hands of someone who knows labor, sweaty brow, flame burning in their eyes, inventive mind, broad shoulders, steampunk goggles, nuts and bolts stored away in little boxes, ashes, striking a match, blueprints for future projects, fixing up a busted up car and giving it cool upgrades, wrestles with bitterness, work boots have seen better years, wrinkled plaid shirts, iron melted in blazing fire, huge jackets, crafting masterpieces, greased-stained overalls, fascination with robotics, pain is fuel, stack of weaponry.

HERA (2). resting bitch face, dressed to the nines, cows grazing on a pasture, cool rain, loving and hating fiercely, hand clutching a string of pearls, large chandelier with glittering crystals, plays the sims for the sole purpose of killing off their sims, romance to realism, pictures of the sky while flying on a plane, downs glasses of wine as they relax with a scented bubble bath, like their selfie or you’re grounded, knows 57 convenient ways to murder a man, dark eyes that penetrate your soul, marble and gold.

HERMES (3).  devil-may-care smile, ink-stained hands, always up-to-date on the latest technology, does it for the vine, shitposter, puts googly eyes on everything, meme hoarder, long drives on the highway, ma and pop diners, spontaneous road trips, folded maps, fingers dancing across the keyboard of a laptop, shooting hoops on the basketball court, chatting up strangers as you all journey to your own destinations, goes jogging in the morning, mixes redbull with coffee, menace on april fool’s, hoodies and sneakers.

POSEIDON (5).  storm with skin, colorful coral reefs, waves crashing against the shore, the sea casting its spell, stroking the soft fur of a cat, their heart pounding as their horse’s gentle trot speeds into a gallop, tousled locks, clothes smeared with paint, owns several sketchbooks yet always yearns for more, leather jackets, fondness for diy projects, handwriting that flows across the page, nimble fingers playing the strings of a violin, velvety singing voice that haunts your dreams, mood as ever-changing as the sea, the roar of a motorcycle, compass with a spinning arrow.

               He would have given anything to turn back the hands of time.

dragon-kiddos​:

Only moments have passed, but the emerald that houses his power already begins to work its magic. Some of his most minor wounds stitch together, leaving nary mark nor scar; the only thing proving Kana had been injured in the first place is the blood that clings to his scales like ink to paper. 

[ Kana’s personal skill, Draconic Heir, heals him for 2 points of health. 7/20 HP remaining. ]

Perhaps it was selfish, but Kana expected the gentle warmth of healing magic to continue. The white embrace of his beloved aunt, his nurturing friend, nor his sisterly companion never came. Before he can turn his gaze skyward, a scream rips across the battlefield. 

(The last time he heard such a sound, one coming from a man, was from his own father when a blade had been driven through the stomach of his mother. She lived, then.)

(Nino doesn’t.)

First Lloyd’s screech reaches him, then the desperate wailing of Mercedes which stings like nails on a chalkboard. Only after does he recognize that the little wind mage had been felled, her body stabbed through like it was the most pliable clay—tell me, little prince, can your tail commit a similar atrocity?—and blood staining the hands of the healer so desperately trying to defy death’s grip. ( Kana remembers a time where he tried the same. He stopped learning how to heal, after that. )

They were so close to the end, but this was not a battle that could be won without a sacrifice. ( I won’t let you die in vain. )

The roar that escapes him could rival even the battle cries of his grandfather when the legendary Yato drove through his core and finally ended his life. Maybe it was a premonition for the little dragon’s future—for him to fall into such a state of malice and lose himself to despair, to become the silent dragon—or perhaps it was nothing more than the blood-boiling rage letting itself lose from within a child’s body, but the entire world (or just his world?) shakes. 

(Mama is by his side. She is explaining that this beastly form can be a great asset, a weapon like no other. It is a part of them, within their nature, their blood, to rip and tear and snuff out the lives of their enemies. But he can control it. Even still, his body is a weapon. His blood is a weapon. And he will use it.) 

It wasn’t as though something had snapped inside of him. The little dragon was still very much in control of his actions and still very much aware of every little thing he was doing. As he charged head-first at the Relic, however, it was like he was a different beast person entirely. No planning. No strategy. No want to end a battle because it should be ended, only a need for vengeance. 

Though his body was much smaller in comparison to the Relic’s, he uses his size to his advantage. As it was already grounded thanks to Lloyd’s last attack, it was impossible for him to miss as he rammed his body into the beast’s larger one. 

The little dragon rears back much like a startled mount, but rather than turning and fleeing, he releases a mighty roar and grips either side of the Relic’s head. It takes all of his strength to pull and pull ( he feels as though his limbs will become dislodged by the mere action ) but even with the clawing and screeching from the beast under him, Kana does not give. 

Its head does. 

[ Kana hits Areadbhar Ɛ for 11 points of damage. 0/100 HP remaining. ]

Much like a deranged child ripping the head from a doll’s body, Kana beheads the Relic and allows it to fall to the ground like an unwanted scrap of trash. One last time, his claw raises and smashes down directly into the crest stone embedded in its skull, shattering it into tiny pieces. 

This battle was over.

[Areadbhar Ɛ has been defeated. ]

But the pain was not. 

Little dragon stumbles backward. When a few feet of distance have been made between Kana and the felled beast, a human takes his place once more. Gloved hands tremble. Grey eyes look to the carcass in front of him, and then to the green-haired one only a short interval from his side. 

Kana falls to his knees and then slumps forward. Palms dig into the ground, arms shaking and threatening to give way.

( If I had only been a little faster, he thinks. If I had only ended this sooner. She wouldn’t be gone. She’d still be smiling. She’d still be here. I was too slow. I should have been faster. If I had only been faster, if I… )

Clean pools are struck down into the dirt, dust, and blood-encrusted ground of what was once castle Fhiridad. His lip quivers and his eyes burn; these tears are the coldest he has ever cried. Fingers tighten into fists. There is a single, weakly-pounded beat at the ground.

( If I had only been faster. )

And finally, he screams.

jehannandancer​:

All her life she sees death pass her by. In the days she was starved in the desert of Jehanna without a soul to rely on other than herself and her too young of a brother… Back when she dived into mercenary work and braved the fronts with the hired blades by her side… And most especially when she faced Corruption Incarnate… Death’s embodiment often mocked her, teased her, but never has he felt so close until today.

                    The weft and weave of fate guides all people to their death…

Ignore it. Ignore him. Move. Always, always move. The trail of red running down her face is nothing compared to the injuries sustained by those around her. Nearest to her, she sees the nimble Beruka cheating death, barely able to move, yet she still does. If only she could like the others… no, to dread on that now was unbecoming of her. 

                   Though arrow pierce our ancient hearts, we fear not our final breath.

“Beruka, do not give up!” She calls out to her, and searches the sky once more for their healer in the skies. Limbs move in practiced motions, despite the pain, despite the carnage, she lets the melody in her head guide her. Dim light follows her every moment, a sparkle of hope as she weaves the blessing she always had and carried with her. 

    Tethys rallies Beruka for 1 bonus to hit!     Personal Skill also gives her 1 bonus to dmg and dmg reduction.      Tethys dances and gives Mercedes an additional turn!

As she moves, death continues to loom over her. Its onslaught not ending just yet. Their young and ever nimble healer from Nohr dodges the tail swung, but Tethys was far too preoccupied. Focus waning, energy drained and transfered, once she swoops down to end her dance, it was already far too late to react.

                   Teeth and bite shatter bone for those who fear thy cold embrace…

White flashes before Tethys eyes as she gets swept from the ground she stands on, the impact from the dragon’s tail crushing her ribs, a wet cough all she could muster. Thrown into rubble, her misery continues, body further crushed.

     Areadbhar Ɛ attacks her for 8 damage! Tethys’ HP: 1/20 

The dancer can barely move anymore. She tries– oh, she tries – but her legs refused to respond to her pleas. Her eyes were barely open, blood and dust making it harder to do so. The dragon continues its rampage, this fight far from over. She needs to will herself to move, but the entity that foresaw from long ago stands before her. She need not look up to know his blade was already raised. She knows why he was here. She knows.

                              …so run not from the Dark Rider, thy lives he shall erase.

next: @xkanjou​

“Nino!” Instinctively, Lloyd moves toward his little sister, afraid of how much damage that single blow could’ve done to her—but she picks herself back up, albeit unsteadily, and tells everyone not to worry despite the tremble in her voice. A soothing light descends upon her shortly after, and the swordsman doesn’t have to look up to know Mercedes is nearby; deciding Nino is in good hands, he retreats instead to search the wreckage of Fhirdiad Castle...

......and feels his blood run cold when gaze snags on a familiar shade of red. “Tethys...” Lloyd drops to his knees near her crumpled form, using the fingers of his good hand to feel for a pulse—for the creature to have wounded her so gravely when she’d never so much as raised a weapon against it is too cruel; bloodied and broken is a look that does not suit her. Seconds pass with bated breath, silently pleading for the dancer to yet live.

                              ......ba-bump............ba-bump............ba-bump.........

Relief; she’s alive, if only barely. “Hold on just a little while longer,” the swordsman says quietly, spying a large chunk of wall still standing amidst the rubble. He can’t carry her in his current state—not with one arm hanging uselessly at his side—but he can’t very well leave her there, either. Rising to his feet, Lloyd steps over stone fragments and wood beams until he reaches the object of interest; a cursory inspection deems it solid enough for his needs. Takes hold of his bad arm with the good one and braces the former against the wall by its elbow, shoves with all his strength until the shoulder joint pops back into place with a harsh cry. It’s only a temporary measure—it’ll still need proper aid later, but for now... it would have to be enough.

Returning to Tethys’ side, he gingerly scoops the dancer into his arms, ignores the twinge in his right shoulder as he carries her to the same wall from earlier and sets her down beside it before running to look for his sister. “Nino! Tethys needs help—”

A howl of pain resounds through the air, cutting him off; Lloyd turns around to see another, smaller beast attacking their enemy. It... hadn’t been there before, had it? Yet it looks as battered as the rest of them, and the silver of its body, painted in shades of the burning sky above... Gaze sweeps the area, checking their headcount—

                                                       where’s kana?                                    ...that dragon’s coloration... could it be...?

...There’ll be time for questions later, when their lives are no longer at stake. “Nino,” he starts, directing his attention back to the mage. “Go help Tethys. Don’t worry about the big guy—we’ll keep it busy.”

And he runs off before she can respond, shoulder protesting as the swordsman draws his weapon with the intent of bringing this long battle to its conclusion, or closer to it. The blasted thing can still fly even with a heavily damaged wing, and he thinks it’s high time that changed. It hovers low to the ground now, showing signs of fatigue from the countless blows dealt to it, and Lloyd seizes his chance—

Lloyd attacks Areadbhar Ɛ for 7 damage! Remaining: 25/100 HP. Areadbhar Ɛ misses! Status: 9/15 HP.

—to finally sever Areadbhar’s left wing from its body, blade cleaving through the cracked bone connecting limb to host with a loud crack. Skeletal jaws open to shriek, the beast no longer able to remain airborne; hits the ground with impact enough to shake the earth in its immediate vicinity. It lashes out at him with another screech, the remaining wing arcing toward him, but the attempt is laughably predictable—Lloyd evades it with ease, backing away from Areadbhar until he reaches the small dragon’s side.

“Hang in there, little guy,” the swordsman murmurs, taking in the severity of the other’s wounds—he’s no healer, and thus unable to help in a more meaningful manner. “It won’t last much longer if we maintain a good offense. Can you hold out until then?”

Lloyd used Rally Dexterity! Kana gains +1 to Accuracy in his next turn.

jehannandancer​:

Later on, Tethys realized as she roamed the battlefield on the lookout for the injured and those that needed additional aid that almost everyone needed it. There was only so much their healers can do, and even if Mercedes exerted double the effort, the beast’s attacks only grew worse and worse.

The dancer watched in horror as Lloyd gets scooped up from the ground by the dragon right after he slashes its wing, their act of rebellion met with fury. Its pained cries mean their efforts weren’t meaningless– that they grew closer and closer to besting it. But the more it hurt, the more dangerous it became. And as it released Lloyd and flew up, Tethys sees a glimpse of the Dark Rider atop of it. In the sky, it glowed a deep shades of gold and crimson, hovering menacingly as it scoped out all of them.

In that moment, the world stilled. The calm before a raging storm.

In one fell swoop, the dragon drew closer to the ground, tail slamming heavily on to the already ruined ground. Tethys couldn’t spare a glance at the others, the ground before her quaking. There was no dodging this one, the dragon’s tail covering most of where Tethys could go. Swept and thrown aside, the dancer tumbles and crashes on already fallen debris, crimson further coloring her. 

    Areadbhar Ɛ attacks her for 3 damage! Tethys’ HP: 9/20

Her head feels faint. There’s something oozing down the side of her head, all the way down to her neck. She can still move her legs– arms, not so much. All around her, she hears voices calling out their allies, only to be responded with screams and cries of pain. She would do the same, if not for the blood she coughs out. 

The Dark Rider draws near.

next: @xkanjou​

Even without Nino’s warning, he sees it—an ominous red-gold aura envelops the creature, unleashing a deafening shriek before tucking its wings in and diving toward the ground. Snaps back to full span in the scant few seconds prior to impact, twisting to bring its tail down with a thunderous slam that stirs up clouds of dust and scatters chunks of rubble every which way. He’d turned to run as soon as it began its descent, grimacing when the movement pulls at his injuries; crashes to the ground with a pained hiss when the quake throws him off-balance.

A smear of red stains the stone beneath him when Lloyd pushes himself to his feet once more, the swordsman’s left hand coated in it from when it’d been pressed against his wounds ( for what little difference it makes when he’s bleeding in too many places and it won’t stop ). Turns his head to see the tail sweeping towards him, the sound of bone scraping against stone growing louder with each passing second.

          fucK—

He runs, hastily shoving his sword back into the sheath and shifting into a full-on sprint—refuses to think about what will happen if he suffers a direct hit. Doesn’t quite make it, the tip clipping his shoulder; hits the ground with a gasp back-first as the force spins him around and vermillion sky fills his vision.

// ( 18, 3 ) Areadbhar Ɛ’s attack hits Lloyd for 3 damage. Status: 2/15 HP.

          but he’s still alive.

His chest heaves from the exertion, shoulder throbbing and sending twinges of pain through his body when Lloyd tries to move—it’s dislocated, he realizes with mounting dread. ( damn it, that’s his sword arm too. ) Distantly, he hears voices shouting for their allies, crying out as they’re swept up in the same attack he’d just narrowly avoided sustaining a more severe blow from. Nino had tried to reach him before the quake—where is she now?

Moving to stand is harder now, with the battle taking its toll on him. Right arm dangles limply at his side as hazel dart around in search of a familiar head of green, cranes his head a bit to see blades of wind magic keeping her afloat and unharmed. ( and thank the heavens for that. she has to survive this, no matter what. ) Overhead, Lloyd hears the flap of a pegasus’ wings and the call of Mercedes’ voice; soothing light descends upon him with a potency unlike the last time he’d been healed. The bleeding slows as his wounds gradually close and cease to saturate his clothing, though the healer’s magic unfortunately does little for his injured shoulder. ( he’ll have to try and pop it back into place himself, somehow... or try to wield his sword left-handed instead. )

// Mercedes uses Recover! Status: 9/15 HP.

The beast is being worn down by their attacks—of that much he is certain. They can’t afford to slow down just yet. “Nino!” he shouts. “Now’s your chance!”

xkanjou​:

Beruka immediately springs into action, jumping up onto nearby rubble and flying towards the dragon making a clean cut across the dragon’s wing. The dragon reels back, a screech ringing through the air as Beruka redirects its focus onto her. She couldn’t let Tethys fall now lest morale amongst the team suffer.

Beruka: +8 DMG to Areadbhar. 52/100 HP remains.

She turns to face the dancer. 

“Are you alri-”

Before the rest of the words have a chance to leave she feels the wind get knocked out of her, large talons gripping hold of her body and swinging her around. The tips of the claws dig into her armour, piercing through the material and into her skin. She bites hard on her lips, desperate not to let out a cry, when the dragon flies up and throws her onto hard stone. 

Beruka: -9 HP Currently at 2/15

She can feel the wet stain spread across her clothes inside her armour, certain that the white cloth she wore underneath was now a deep crimson red. She struggles to breathe, using her axe as a cane as she attempts to pull herself back onto her feet.

@regalblades

// Mercedes and Elise heal Lloyd for 3 HP each. Status: 13/15 HP

The ache in his ribs recedes with the assistance of both Mercedes and Elise; breathing becomes easier even if the magic used on him doesn’t render him good as new again. A brief thanks is given to the latter—the former’s already out of earshot, circling the skies on her pegasus while taking care to avoid the draconic creature’s talons—and Lloyd prepares to attack once more, darting across stone and rubble to reach the beast. Lips press into a line at the wounds dealt to Kana and Tethys, the obvious difficulty with which Beruka rises to her feet after the monster had so grievously injured her; this next strike would be one of retribution.

A screech, and it dives toward the ground with intent to attack again. He runs, runs, runs, his target in clear view as he leaps into the air and toward the creature—blade sings as it feeds from a combination of momentum and his own strength, slams into the thing’s left wing in the same place he’d hit it last time and forcefully cleaves through bone to nearly rend the limb from its body. It shrieks in response, recoiling at the same time that Lloyd drops to the ground and manages to land safely.

// ( 9, 9+1 ) Lloyd deals 10 damage to Areadbhar Ɛ! 42/100 HP remains.

So close, he thinks—another blow would surely sever the beast’s wing and tip the balance in their favor. The swordsman begins to retreat, unwilling to be an easy target for its wrath—

—but it lunges for him with frightening speed, a shout of pain clawing its way out of Lloyd’s throat as its jaws clamp around his torso and teeth plunge into unprotected flesh. Fists beat uselessly against the thing’s snout as it lifts him away from the ground—he doesn’t want to die again, not like this—gets it to release him after jamming the tip of his sword into what he thinks is the creature’s eye. It screams, fangs dyed with his blood as he slips free of them and hits the stone with none of his earlier grace; forces himself to stand yet again even with the pain of having suffered multiple puncture wounds, red seeping into dark clothing and smelling strongly of iron.

// ( 15, 8 ) Areadbhar Ɛ deals 8 damage to Lloyd. Status: 5/15 HP.

He manages to gain distance from the beast this time, a hand pressed against the worst of his injuries to stem the bleeding. Breath comes and goes in harsh pants, heart racing in his chest from exertion and the panic of brushing against death... and a sinking feeling that disaster is about to strike.

xkanjou​:

It was just one strange event after another and now here they were fighting what looked to be a large wyvern. Just from the sheer size and agility of the creature everyone could tell this wasn’t going to be an easy fight. She recalled the voice in her head when they warped here.

my powers. I cannot… lp you anymore.

She wasn’t sure exactly what they meant, but Beruka could only assume that if something were to happen here this would spell the end. There were no more second chances like before.

She watches as the creature chases the dancer, expertly maneuvering around every attack the beast threw at her. There was an opportunity there!

Beruka grabbed her hand axe and whipped it towards the beast’s torso. Unfortunately the flap of its giant wings caused a great wave of air to change its course and land sadly on the ground next to it.

Beruka: Missed Areabhar! 95/100 HP remains.

The creature’s beady eyes fell upon the fallen hand axe, trailing to Beruka and coming to a conclusion. With a enraged shriek it raised it’s talons, swiping violently at the assassin. Beruka tried to defend herself but the sheer force managed to knock her off her feet and into the ground beneath her. 

Beruka: -4 HP Currently at 11/15

A groan of pain, she propped herself on her elbows, iron axe now in hand, glaring up at the creature that now towered above her.

@regalblades​

It feels strange, to have died and returned to life. Lloyd thinks about what his father had said toward the end of their conversation—before he’d woken up as if from a dream. Something pulled him back, like he had unfinished business to deal with. Seeing Fhirdiad Castle crumble into a wreckage of stone and wood before his eyes with the worry that his companions were trapped inside and crushed, and the enormous pair of beasts threatening to level the rest of the city... He thinks there may be a certain degree of truth to those words. ( and saint, he’s never seen such monstrosities before. one of them even looks... distressingly familiar in some way—but he quickly banishes the thought. )

The skeletal thing their team is to fell wastes little time in swiping at the others as though they’re but mere insects, and the swordsman sees a chance to strike when it lunges at Beruka. Drawing his Killing Edge from its sheath, Lloyd breaks into a sprint toward it and jumps, using the momentum to bring his blade down on the creature’s wing with a satisfying crunch.

// ( 17, 8; Personal Skill activates to grant +1 damage ) Lloyd attacks Areadbhar Ɛ for 9 damage! 86/100 HP remaining.

It releases a shriek of pain in response, lashing out to strike while he’s yet to drop back to ground level; the same wing he’d struck just moments earlier knocks Lloyd away and sends him skidding across the stone. Can’t help the pained groan that leaves him, for he is only human, yet still he forces himself to get up—as if he’d allow himself to be downed so easily again.

// ( 10, 8 ) Areadbhar Ɛ strikes back for 8 damage! Status: 7/15 HP.

“Nino,” the swordsman manages, seeing his little sister rush to his side. “The next time it moves to attack, aim your magic at the wings. Letting it fly around makes it harder for us to land our blows. If we cripple it, we’ll be able to end this more quickly.”

( he tries not to wince as he speaks—his ribs were likely bruised in the impact if not worse. should let a healer do something about that. )

// Lloyd uses Rally Dexterity to grant a +1 Accuracy boost to Nino!

jehannandancer​:

dragon-kiddos​:

kingoftempests·:

A shock of blond rushed in front of him, falling limply into Dimitri’s chest as it absorbed the momentum of a tendril lashing out. The furrow of his brow had broken, the clench of his jaw now lax, all to reveal a look of absolute shock as the body fell to the floor, lifeless.

Father…?

The scene flashed in stills before his eyes, and in an instant, it was gone. Dimitri had been fourteen, riding with his father in a carriage to make their appearances at Duscur. His stepmother had been in a different carriage. They were attacked. His father fought off as many of the assailants as he could. His father fell to his knees, taking an attack that was meant for Dimitri because he had been too slow to counter. His father looking up at him, using the last of his strength to give his surviving son a call to action–!

“Don’t let this… be for nothing… you fool of a prince.”

Four years hadn’t made that look in their eyes any easier.

His voice had caught in his throat as he watched Lloyd’s eyes close. If the prince had blinked, he would have missed the way that the knight’s body faded into transparency like dust blown off an old trinket. But he knew what he saw. Lloyd had died by this witch’s magic, and she hadn’t even given them the closure of giving him a hero’s burial. Dimitri could feel that same darkness bubbling in his stomach, threatening to boil over and consume him once more. But he couldn’t let this be for nothing.

“Kana! Tethys!” He yelled out, looking to his remaining party with a new sense of recognition. “Let’s go!” Blinking into the sunlight as if he had just woken up from a long sleep, Dimitri surveyed the throne room. If this castle were like his Fhirdiad, then the armory was behind the left door. Perhaps they would be able to arm themselves there while fending off their attacker. He leaned forward and dashed towards the door, leaping to grab the door handle. 

Patricia blocked Dimitri’s escape. (3)

A tendril smashed down in front of him, blocking the left door and burning the tips of his gauntlets. “The right door!” He yelled, trying to regain his balance as he redirected his path. Another tendril shot out towards him, cornering him in between the left-side wall. “Go!” The cry left a burn in his throat as he motioned for the other two to run. He couldn’t let this be for nothing.

@dragon-kiddos

“Kana! Tethys! Let’s go!” 

Kana never thought he’d be so glad to hear one man’s voice. Dimitri calls out for them, finally snapping out of whatever spell he was under, and sees reason. The tiniest flicker of hope blooms in his chest; they’ll be fine. They can make it out of here! 

The right door. The little dragon wants nothing more than to run to Dimitri’s side, slice at the tendrils that block him, but his body screams with every step he takes. I’m sorry, his heart whispers, but his mind corrects him with the reminder that he is just following orders. 

The door. He starts forward, legs threatening to buckle and bend with every length forward. The door. His entire focus has to be there; Miss Tethys is uninjured, she can take care of herself, and Mister Lloyd’s body was unretrievable. The door. Pay no mind to how the room quakes, tall pillars crumbling around the one responsible for the murder of a man just trying to protect a few students. The door. He can see it, he can feel it, gloved hand reaching out—

“It has come,” the demon woman says, almost fondly. “My son. He will rise.”

It happens all at once. Suddenly, the exit before him is blocked, not by the whims of the tendrils sprouting from Patricia’s body, but by stone and wood collapsing from the ceiling. 

“It’s coming down,” comes his whispered horror. He knows too well the pain of being buried by rubble, the damage it could do (but this was so much worse than anything those cardinal beasts could hope to do). Turning slowly, he faces first Miss Tethys, and then Dimitri. 

“We’re trapped.” 

And the world falls around them. 

          ...............

“...............ke up......”

          ......is that... a person’s voice?

“......oyd, can you hear me?”

          wait. he knows this voice, but if he’s hearing it now, then—

Hazel eyes fly open, and a torrent of memories play out in his head all at once: running through the halls of Fhirdiad Castle alongside Tethys and Kana, finding Dimitri in the throne room along with an unknown woman—

          —taking a fatal blow because he tried to save the prince.

Lloyd blinks away the images, taking in his surroundings. Above him, a sky painted in purples and pinks and oranges, the sun hovering above the horizon as if in the midst of rising. Beneath him, a sea of grass stretching endlessly in every direction. And kneeling beside him, an achingly familiar face he hasn’t seen since his world was upended over a year ago. “Father...?”

“It’s been a long time, Lloyd. ...Though I’d hoped we wouldn’t meet again like this so soon,” Brendan remarks.

He’s never heard his father sound so full of regret. Lloyd pushes himself into a sitting position, keeping the older man within his sight as he does for fear that he might vanish should he look away. “It’s really you... This isn’t some kind of trick, is it?” If it is, it’s a particularly cruel one.

A short laugh, and Brendan mimics his son’s movement to sit more comfortably atop the grassy hill. “Not much point when we’re both dead.”

“...That is true.” Silence. There’s a question that’s gnawed at the swordsman since the Black Fang collapsed—since Jan had led him to the grave dug for its founder. “Are you disappointed in me, Father?” he asks, gaze fixed on anything but the man’s face. Some small part of him is afraid of learning the answer.

He hears the sound of a sharp inhale. “For what?”

In his peripheral vision, he sees Brendan watching him. He’s already gone and asked the question; there’s no turning back now. “For-” Leaving Linus alone to get killed. For not acting quickly enough on his suspicion of Sonia. For having lost his way after everything came tumbling down.

For not being there when his father breathed his last. “-so many things. If I’d only known better, then...”

Brendan shakes his head, puts a hand on his son’s shoulder and squeezes it. “Stop that. It was my foolishness that allowed Sonia to do as she pleased, and we all paid the price for it. That’s my failing as both a leader and as your father. ...I’m sorry, Lloyd.”

Father and son both fall quiet, following that. The only sound that can be heard is the rustling of grass in the summer breeze as Lloyd searches for the words to say—

“Looks like it’s about time for you to return to your friends,” Brendan interrupts, pointing to the particles of light starting to gather around the swordsman. With each passing second they only seem to intensify in brightness and number, making it difficult to see, and swatting at them does nothing to lessen the effect.

Lloyd squints through them to look at his father, the mention of friends flying over his head in favor of the return part. “Return? I—”

“Died, yes. But whatever is happening to that place you were in is pulling you back—like you’ve unfinished business there. ...Don’t be in a hurry to come here again, Lloyd! You’ll make Nino bawl her eyes out.” Brendan smiles wryly, reaching through the swell of light to ruffle his son’s hair one last time. “I’m proud of you, my son.”

“—!” If asked, he’d deny his vision had blurred with tears at that moment. He can no longer see his father through the radiance encasing him, but despite this he returns that smile with one of his own. “Father, I—”

          ...............

kingoftempests​:

He could just barely sense the pressure on his arm as something wrapped around it, and the voices around him sounded like they were traveling through water to reach him. Were they… calling to him? They were inescapable. More voices to add to the chorus of those already demanding he sate their appetites for vengeance with blood.

The cries seemed to grow louder, sending a splitting pain to the back of his head. Was she causing this pain? Frenzied eyes bored holes into the tendrils’ epicenter, the woman who called herself his mother. She must have been. Another roar ripped through the air as he ran blindly forward, swinging his lance overhead.

Dimitri missed Patricia. ??? HP remaining.

Perhaps she hadn’t expected his advance on her in their first bout, allowing for a clean hit. But his movements were becoming more unhinged the longer she remained. Again, he had heaved his lance forward, but for naught. She easily evaded the clumsy swing as if swatting away a fly. He could’ve sworn he heard her laugh.

She countered with as much ease as she had sidestepped him. A whip of dark magic slashed into the right side of his torso, leaving a bubbling wound in its wake. His armor had taken the initial force of the attack, but still the momentum left him winded as he dropped to one knee, clutching his side. His shoulders heaved like a felled beast on its last legs. But through a curtain of golden locks stained red, his gaze never left her.

Patricia dealt 5 points of damage. 7/15 HP remaining.

@regalblades​

Lloyd curses under his breath when Kana’s swatted away like an insect, the boy pleading for Dimitri to listen to them and even trying to move the prince by force. The dark energy gathering around their enemy restores her strength, makes it seem as though she’d never sustained even a scratch from their attacks—further drives home the point that this is an exercise in futility. His original intention had been to keep the woman busy while Kana and Tethys escaped with Dimitri in tow, then make his own retreat—but even the best-laid plans can go awry, and the prince clearly isn’t hearing anything they have to say.

“But I promise to do better. I’ll work harder to become someone you will be proud to fight alongside. No matter how long it takes, I swear it.” That was what Dimitri told him, following the incident with the compound. Was he wrong to believe in the royal’s words? Did he place his faith in him only for it to be misplaced in the end? Seeing the other charge at Patricia like a man possessed, Lloyd wonders.

But it doesn’t matter. He has his self-imposed duty to fulfill—gives Tethys a brief utterance of gratitude for the blessing bestowed upon him by her dance before rushing toward Patricia once more.

// Lloyd deals 2 points of damage to Patricia. ??? remaining.

The blade of his Killing Edge only nicks her this time—which is fine, he already knew that it wasn’t going to do much, but the cruel, mocking laugh that leaves her sends a chill down his spine ( the sound of it is all too familiar ) right before dark magic erupts from beneath his feet and engulfs him in an enormous pillar of it.

// Patricia counterattacks for 12 damage. 3/15 remaining.