Black Wolf of the Sands

vonochs​:

– “ NOT MY- OH, shucks, guess it’s that obvious, huh? “ Monica’s cheeks puff into a pout as she moves about the kitchen, trying her best to make it seem as though she’s tidying up. “ You know, it’s not nice to accuse someone that… hey, wait a second! “

She spins around, narrowing her eyes as she surveys the person in front of her. The interaction lasts just a few seconds too long, just enough to be awkward and unpleasant, before her eyebrows shoot upwards and she claps her hands together.

“ Ah, wait! We’ve met before, right? “ She snaps her fingers together, kitchen quest abandoned. “ At the ball! You offered me water, and, hm hm… “ A frown. “ I do believe that… yep, that was the extent of our interaction. Oh well! “

Another sigh. She stares wistfully at the ceiling, seemingly reminiscing something but more likely just directing attention elsewhere, in all honesty. The moment is only interrupted by, well, nothing: the silence is enough to cause her grip to tighten, her brow to furrow, and she turns to meet Volug’s disapproving stare.

“ Hey! Why’re you looking at me like that? I didn’t do anything wrong, did I? No harm no foul and such. “

“Not ‘you’. Volug.” He corrects, though by his flippant tone, he isn’t particularly bothered. It’s far from the worst thing he’s been called. In fact, ‘you’ probably ranked pretty highly on the list of things that beorc called him other than his name, but he has to remind himself that the whole reason he’s here is to work on his diplomacy skills or lack thereof. 

Her Highness help him, these people sure do like to test him, though.

He tilts his head at Monica’s sudden outburst. She’s the one skipping out on her role in the story, so why is she getting mad at him? Does she think he enjoys repeating the same day over and over again, either? Once he finally gets out of here, he’s got quite the bone to pick with a certain projectionist who certainly must be getting a kick out of watching him repeat the same story over and over and over and over again.

vonochs​:

– “ DOUSE- OH, RIGHT, RIGHT ! “ Monica’s reaction time isn’t exactly ideal, per se, but she flounders herself rightly enough as the individual advises her. She quickly clamps a lid over the pot, containing the flame, before dashing to the other side of the kitchen in order to get some sort of proper liquid to cover it all in.

It takes more time than she’d like to admit, but the fire is quelled soon enough. Certainly a much cleaner task than the usual attempts to stop the dragon she finds herself encountering.

“ Fwaaaaah- Well, that was stressful! “ she huffs to herself, hands on her hips as she looks from the mess to the person standing at the door. “ Aaaanyways, how about we make a deal! I’ll, hm… “ She taps her chin. “ I’ll make you some cookies or something, and you’ll keep this a secret! I’m a struggling girl trying to keep my job. Or something. “ She huffs. “ Just don’t tattletale, okay? “

Volug raises an eyebrow. After nearly burning down the building, she’s going to offer him cookies? Did he look that desperate to eat poison? Sure, he was getting real tired of dealing with this stupid dragon, but that didn’t mean he was willing to poison himself to get out of the story.

“Don’t cook more,” he says bluntly. “Not your job.” You know that I know you’re from the Academy, right? 

It doesn’t look like she has any intention of dealing with the dragon, but Volug can’t help but hesitate to leave her here alone. Of course, it’s less that he’s afraid the building might get destroyed while the dragon rampages and more that Monica will find a way to get herself in trouble just by trying to cook.

in the name of the moon

Those pursuing the investigation into this town’s “werewolf” have a nasty surprise on their hands—Two of them, in fact. One would be that you have accidentally (unfortunately) stumbled on exactly what you’re looking for: a half-man, half-wolf beast bent over its prey, tearing into its chest with gusto. When the monster catches sight of your group, it lunges towards you with gnashing teeth and tearing claws. A mage would surely make quick work of it… if it were not for the second nasty surprise, which comes at the cost of one of your allies’ life when a simple Fire spell fails to ignite. In fact, none of your magics work in this world, Black, Dark, White or otherwise. Without a physical weapon to your name, you’ll need to think fast if you want to make it out of here with all your limbs intact. [Grants Gauntlets +1]  

A werewolf, is it?

Azama’s not certain his particular talents are best suited to such a bounty, especially with the use of his magic seemingly removed, but then again - what use is a holy man if not to pit against the unholy? And so he trods along beside his hooded companion, humming a jaunty tune, fingers interlaced behind his head.

They’d come across it once already, this purported half-man, half-wolf beast. Either it hadn’t fully shifted, or it really was simply a man with wolf ears atop his head - if the latter, then he’s really not sure what all the fuss is about.

“Hmm, hmm~ Lovely weather, isn’t it?”

Azama. It’s the middle of the night. It’s raining. Some might even say it’s cold out.

It’s been what, a couple of hours now? He can’t help it.

He’s hopelessly bored - but not fated to be for long, it seems, as a patrol of townsfolk burst into their alleyway, feathers clearly ruffled.

‘Have you seen him!?’ they ask. ‘Have you seen the half-man, half-wolf beast?’

Azama pauses. A smile curls his lips.

“I’ve seen a half-man, half-wolf beast, yes.”

‘Where, where?! Which direction?’

“Oh, you needn’t look far.” A casual hand sets on Volug’s shoulder. “Why, we’ve got one right here!”

[ @wildheartlaguz ! ]

The best way to track a wolf is with another wolf.

At least, that’s what Volug tells himself is the reason he’s been sent on this particular job. He would just transform and track down the werewolf by scent, but nothing is ever easy in these book worlds. Royalty aside, Volug is one of the best shifters in Hatari, but he can’t even halfshift here, so he’s more or less just a Branded sans a brand. If the powers that be were going to take away his shifting ability, they could have at least done him the favor of hiding his ears and tail so that he wouldn’t be incredibly suspicious to people looking for this “werewolf”.

Volug is not quite so lucky.

The townsfolk all turn their attention to Volug, who looks like he would rather be anywhere else at the very moment. He shoots a withering look to his traveling companion for selling him out immediately. Not that he has a very strong alibi or a case for defending himself, but it’s the principle of it all.

“T-take off your hood...now!! If you know what’s good for you...!!”

Volug obediently removes his hood, allowing his ears to spring up to a chorus of gasps. They cry, “It’s him...! The half-man, half-beast! Surround him, quickly!”

“Not half,” Volug corrects. “Full wolf.”

He is not helping the situation here, but the distinction is important. The group of townsfolk currently surrounding him, all pointing their weapons at him, seemingly disagree.

blaydiud:

The larger dog didn’t express any signs of irritation or aggressivity when the prince approached, and although he was still careful Dimitri allowed himself to relax a bit more in its presence. Maybe it wasn’t necessarily a wolf, but a particularly big wolfdog breed. He had spotted plenty of those in Faerghus, particularly in the northern territories.

He continued to pet and play with the puppies, or at least those that weren’t antagonizing the larger canine, quietly considering the idea of giving the bigger dog a headpat or two. It could’ve attacked me anytime now, if it didn’t, then…proceed with caution, but approach with amity. That’s what father once told him when it came to animals he didn’t know.

“I am sure you must be very strong too, judging by your size.” It did seem like a very strong animal. “And that fur also! Aren’t you a big, pretty boy?” Dimitri chuckled, knowing that there was nobody around to chastise him for talking like that with puppies. The prince gently reached out to touch the wolflike creature, but froze midway.

Dimitri recoiled as if he had been electrified, staring at the wolf with eyes impossibly wide. It spoke. It spoke? It spoke. Or so Goddess help me because I am alone here. Not even the cute puppies, pawing at his legs and begging to play with him could shake off the raw state of shock the prince was in.

Does he reply to the dog now? “Y….you? Are speaking? Did you just speak or am I wildly spiraling out of reality?” Dimitri even slapped himself- twice, thinking that perhaps he had bonked his head somewhere and needed to wake up or that it was a dream. Nothing happened.

How to talk with dog?

@wildheartlaguz​

“I am a very pretty boy,” Volug agrees, nodding his assent. His tail thumps against the ground, drawing the attention of the spunkier of the puppies, who take the opportunity to pounce on it.

He watches the boy’s crisis with a look of mild amusement. He’s used to others assuming him incapable of speech, but they don’t usually react quite this strongly. Or well, when people react strongly it’s more along the lines of, “Oh gods, I am being attacked by a wolf speaking in tongues, someone please help”.

(Not that he has any intention of attacking a student, obviously. He’s not too keen on losing his job or the conversation with Nailah and Rafiel that would follow.)

It belatedly hits him that perhaps that boy had never actually seen a laguz before. Unlike Hatari, laguz seem to either be exceedingly rare or just straight up don’t exist in this country. The poor kid probably genuinely thought he was just a dog. It might help if he shifted back, but the thought of not having his fur to shield him from the cold is less than enticing at the moment.

He scoots a puppy who had been attempting to gnaw on his leg out of the way with a paw.

“...I spoke,” he reassures the boy. “More comfortable to look like this. Not a real dog.”

That doesn’t explain anything.

odsfinest​:

Even as Leif is barraged by both this trickster and this beasts attacks, he looks… fairly unfazed. Impressive. Just like Leif, though. 

He moves to attack once again, the Kinshi he rides being far better behaved than he might’ve expected a giant chicken-looking beast to be. He puts some more respect on these creatures, even if the risk of their lives weighs heavy on him. But there’s no time to feel sympathy, not when an enemy is so close to being defeated.

Shannan uses Hagakure Blade against Shadow Trickster. 2d20 roll: 15+4, 13+4. Critical hit! Hit! (-12HP) Shadow Trickster’s HP: 0/34. Enemy unable to counterattack, as Shadow Trickster ceases. Shannan takes -2 damage from Hagakure Blade. Shannan’s HP: 8/10.

Without hesitation, he flies past the trickster, slicing its torso effectively. Then, the bird soars up high, before diving. It’s wings pull close to its body, and Shannan leaps from its back. Driving that sharp edge directly through the shadowy beings head, it disappears without worry, though that landing sure wasn’t easy on his legs. 

Clicking his tongue against the roof of his mouth, he calls out, “Here, Sucre.” And like a good Kinshi, the bird swoops in, allowing Shannan to mount it just like before. This wasn’t so bad at all.

With the shadowy figure dissipating back into nothingness, only the beast remains. He gnashes his teeth and flaps his wings threateningly, but Volug isn’t impressed. He has sharp claws, but that’s all. Volug would normally dignify a fellow beast with a fight in his wolf form, but he sees no reason to honor a monster. 

He swings his sword, the cold steel cutting into the beast’s hide. He snaps and yowls at the pain, but whatever magic Leif cast prevents him from actually doing any damage to the laguz.

Volug uses Sword of Zoltan against Red Beast. 1d20 roll: 16+6. Hit! (-2.5HP) Dazzle activates! Red Beast’s HP: 31.5/34. Enemy unable to counterattack. Galeforce activates! 

Once again, he feels energized after attacking, but someone else would be better off with this energy. Volug passes the proverbial ball to Shannan, who is much better with a sword than he is. He calls out, “Attack again.” 

Volug casts Refresh on Shannan. Shannan can now act again.

ladyleonster​:

Ethlyn is grateful to be back on solid ground.  Or rather on a mount that is back on solid ground.  She’s back on a horse with a sword at her side and staff on her back.  The curious thing is the armor she now dons.  It’s hers.  At least it was hers once.  It is the same shining white armor of a paladin that she wore when she rode with the Lance Ritter and Quan into the desert.  She wonders how exactly the Projectionist could manifest this but at least she has something she is comfortable fighting in.

She looks to her allies and finds them in very different situations than her own.  Volug is dressed as a dancer.  Shannan rides some sort of giant bird.  And Leif.  Seeing Leif causes her eyes to water just a bit.  He looks as though he should be walking down the isle with Nanna rather than fighting.  It still amazes her that she will be there to witness it when it happens.

She remembers these two foes.  Lidiya and Mercury from her mission to Enbar’s Opera House.  More memories of her own past brought to life and it is unsettling.  She remembers how many allies it had taken to bring their real counterparts down and hopes that their illusory counterparts do not put up as strong a fight.

“Cover me while I try to cast!”

Ethlyn has not worked with much offensive magic, preferring the close combat of a sword, but she has a tome with her and Lidiya won’t be able to strike back against her if she fights from a range. 

Ethlyn attacks Shadow Tricker with Ivaldi.  Roll: 10.  Hit!  Total damage: 4.  Trickster HP: 28.5/34

Volug finds that his new outfit isn’t all that different from his usual look, although having a shirt is certainly new. He lifts his right hand and watches the way the fabric flutters at the movement. All of the ornamental baubles remind him of festival garb from Hatari, although having so much of his legs exposed is certainly a new sensation.

The real problem here is that the powers that be have traded Volug’s gauntlets for a sword. He has never wielded a sword even once in his goddamn life. He has absolutely no idea what to do with his hunk of metal. But he’s technically a knight now and there’s no training quite like on the job training, so he’s about to learn. Volug rushes at the Shadow Trickster and thwacks her with his sword. Even without any training, a well sharpened sword is still more than capable of dealing damage.

Volug uses Sword of Zoltan against Shadow Trickster. 1d20 roll: 16+6. Hit! (-2.5HP) Dazzle activates! Shadow Trickster’s HP: 13/34. Enemy 1d20: 12-16. Critical hit! (-3HP) Volug’s HP: 7/10.  Galeforce activates!

Alas, the shadowy figure is a much better swordsman than Volug is and she easily counters, dealing a blow right back. Normally, Volug would call it there and let someone else step in, but he feels reenergized after attacking. It almost feels like a waste for him to act again, given the pitiful amount of damage he did. He spins on his heel, sending the loose fabric (and his own tail) flying like a flag cut from the night sky.

“...I’ll cover. Go again, Ethlyn.” 

Volug casts Refresh on Ethlyn. Ethlyn can now act again.

odsfinest:

Again, following in Ethlyn’s stead, Shannan waits for the pinkette to break the enemy guard, before launching off four arrows.

Shannan uses Brave Bow against Soldier A. Death Blow activates! Darting Blow activates! 4d20 roll: 19+14, 15+14, 8+14, 2+14. Crit Hit! Hit! Hit! Hit! (-10 HP) Soldier A’s HP: 0/37. Soldier A is unable to counterattack, as he is dead.

With a bit of fanfare, he spins an arrow, tossing it into the air, before shooting three quickly at the enemy, only to catch it and do a very quick turn, drawing his bow back hard. The final show pierces straight through the enemy soldier, causing him to disappear without worry. Now it was just the final enemy…

“We’re almost done, everyone!”​

It takes until Leif heals him for Volug to regain feeling in his body. Of course, he doesn’t get to spend very long enjoying being able to move again before his reflexes are put to the test. When the last arrow pierces the soldier, THE EXECUTIONER roars, sending another attack against Shannan and Volug. The laguz easily sidesteps out of the way, but his companion isn’t quite so lucky.

THE EXECUTIONER uses Divine Strike against Volug and Shannan. Enemy 2d20 roll: 6-8, 18-4. Miss! Hit! (-0HP and -2.5HP respectively) Volug’s HP: 10/10. Shannan’s HP: 7.5/10.

Shannan tanks the hit, but Volug can see THE EXECUTIONER wind up another swing at the man. Without a second thought, he leaps in front of Shannan just in the nick of time.

Volug uses Foul Play on Shannan. It’s super effective!

THE EXECUTIONER uses Executioner’s Blade against Shannan. Foul Play activates! Volug intercepts! Enemy 1d20 roll: 12. Hit! (-4.5HP) Volug’s HP: 5.5/10. Volug is unable to counterattack.

The attack sends Volug flying across the battlefield once again before crashing down painfully. He picks himself up and throws himself at THE EXECUTIONER again. His claws barely make a dent in their armor and THE EXECUTIONER swats him away as if he is but a gnat. Their sword fails to connect, but...

Volug uses Dragon Claws against THE EXECUTIONER. 2d20: 13-8, 9-8. Hit! Hit! (-4HP) THE EXECUTIONER’s HP: 54/75. Enemy 1d20 roll: 3-14. Miss! Volug’s HP: 5.5/10. Enemy 1d2 roll: 1. Volug is stunned!

Ashunera be damned, he’s stunned again.

odsfinest

:

Shannan narrowly escapes that powerful burst of magic, before glancing over at his comrade to see just how bad the other got hit…

And Leif was in the exact same boat he was. A relieved sigh. That being said, drawing his bow again, he counters. 

Shannan counters. 2d20 roll: 19+4, 12+4. Crit! Hit! (-10HP) Executioner’s HP: 65/75.

The bowstring draws back, loosing an arrow directly into the misty beings shoulder, causing it to stagger back, before quickly nocking and loosing another, this one hitting its abdomen. 

Then, he sets his sight right onto the soldier Ethlyn finished striking at. It looked unaffected, yet there’s still weakness that he senses. Quickly, four arrows are shot directly at the smaller amalgamation of smoke.

Shannan uses Brave Bow against Soldier A. Death Blow activates! Darting Blow activates! 4d20 roll: 12+8, 10+8, 7+8, 2+8. Hit! Hit! Hit! Hit! (-24HP) Soldier A’s HP: 13/37. Soldier A is unable to counterattack.

Four quick arrows strike in rapid succession, keeping himself at a nice, safe distance. These rounds grew more and more chaotic with each new foe. 

Everything is perfectly set up like in previous rounds. By working together, they’re able to thin down the enemy numbers with impressive speed. Shannan and Leif had even avoided taking any damage.

Volug tears into the soldier with his claws, activating the combat art to deal extra damage. But unlike before, the damage isn’t quite enough to finish them off.

Volug uses Dragon Claws against Soldier A. Mystic Blow activates! 2d20: 17, 12. Hit! Hit! (-7HP) Soldier A’s HP: 6/37. Enemy 1d20 roll: 15-8. Crit! (-3HP) Volug’s HP: 7/10. Enemy 1d2 roll: 1. Volug is stunned until the end of the round! 

The remaining soldier slashes Volug with their sword, countering him at just the right angle to knock the wind out of him. When it connects, the Killing Edge produces a shockwave that locks all of Volug’s muscles in place. They move out of range before cheering intelligibly and performing a sick kickflip for THE EXECUTIONER.

Soldier A’s rally bonuses have worn off. Soldier A rallies The Executioner. The Executioner has +2 Str for one round.

Taking advantage of Volug’s incapacitation, THE EXECUTIONER moves in to launch an attack on the laguz.

The Executioner uses Executioner’s Blade against Volug. Enemy 1d20 roll: 12. Hit! (-4.5HP) Volug’s HP: 2.5/10. Volug is unable to counterattack.

odsfinest

​:

Watching those wild flaps of a wyvern’s wings definitely makes Shannan feel relieved for staying grounded. 

In terms of what he brought to this battle, not much had changed. His healing staff seemed to be gone, but that didn’t matter much, not after Ethlyn left such a wide gash left in one of those minions. He aims his bow, and focuses again.

Shannan uses Brave Bow against Soldier B. Darting Blow activates! Death Blow activates! 4d20 roll: 18+10, 9+10, 4+10, 1+10. Crit! Hit! Hit! Hit! (-34HP) Soldier B’s HP: 1/37. Soldier B is unable to counterattack.

His first strike follows Ethlyn’s example perfectly, sinking into that revealed flesh of the enemy, the minion recoils, before three swift shots follow suit. All hit their mark, bringing that solider down easily. “Thank you, Leif. And you too, Ethlyn!”

Quickly glancing at the final member of their team, he shouts. “Volug, you can finish him! Quickly!” They’d be off to a great start if they took an enemy down so effectively, he thought.

@wildheartlaguz​

Despite the paltry healing, Volug appreciates the thought, especially since Ethlyn did considerably better on her opening hit. His new ring (it seems silly to wear a ring under these huge ass gauntlets, but he digresses) finishes up the job, so all is well. So needless to say, he feels in great shape to finish off the first of their three enemies.

On Shannan’s command, Volug sets upon the soldier with renewed vigor. They’re already on death’s door, so it wouldn’t have taken much more than a light breeze to topple them, but Volug is the decisive sort. There’s no reason to hold back. He throws his clawed fists at his opponent; the first hit is enough to cause the enemy to start crumbling away, the second is to make sure they’re well and truly dead.

Prayer Ring heals Volug. Volug HP: 10/10. Volug uses Dragon Claws against Soldier B. 2d20: 15+4,6+4. Hit! Hit! (-10HP) Soldier B’s HP: 0/10.

As soon as the last piece of the soldier crumbles to the ground, THE EXECUTIONER swings their blade...

ladyleonster​:

“I’ll be alright, Leif!”  Ethlyn smiles through the pain to reassure her son.  She can hear the worry in his voice as he cries out for Shannan to aid her.  Their foe is fearsome but she is stubborn and has no intentions of falling here.

Shannan’s magic fills her with warmth as it aids her injuries in healing themselves.  “Not bad!  You’re getting good at this!” she encourages him before running back into the fray.  She felt her magic weaken with Gamalos’s last attack but she still has her sword and she plans on using it.

Ethlyn uses Silver Sword against Gamalos Minion. 1d20 roll: 15. Hit! Gamalos’s HP: 22.5/33

As her sword strikes into the mechanical monster, it reels back and sends a blast of its surge back at Ethlyn.  The same strange effect happens as she is hit with a second jolt of its electricity and she can tell her connection to magical energy has once again been scrambled.

Gamalos casts Surge on Ethlyn. 1d20 roll: 5. Hit! Ethlyn’s HP: 7.5/10. Trample activates! Ethlyn’s HP: 6.5/10. Ethlyn is unable to cast magic for one round.

“Shannan, Leif!  I don’t think I can cast again.  Keep everyone safe, alright?”​

After Leif and Shannan heal him and Ethlyn, respectively, Volug lets out a sigh of relief. Things could’ve gotten dicey there, but now he’s reassured that they can finish this. It’s a shame that Ethlyn can’t heal, but the solution to that problem is fairly simple.

If Gamalos is dead, they won’t need any healing.

“Go all out. I will, too,” Volug gestures with his gauntlets to Shannan.  Volug tears into Gamalos with his oversized claws. The sheer size should slow him down, but the combat art activates, giving him the extra speed to continue slashing. He is proud to be a wolf laguz, but in the moment, he briefly wonders if this is what it would feel like to be a lion or tiger instead. He gets in four good hits before the monster can even blink, the first scratching where he had previously broken through its tough hide.

Volug uses Aura Knuckles against Gamalos. Nimble Combo activates!  4d20 roll: 18,13,7,3. Critical hit! Hit! Hit! Hit! Gamalos HP: 7/33. Seal Defense activates! Gamalos suffers -4 to Def for one round. Enemy 1d20: 3-4. Miss! Volug’s HP: 8.5/10.

Gamalos rampages, sending another shockwave of magic after Volug, but he easily sidesteps the attack. Dissatisfied, the monster roars at the wolf laguz and follows after him. Volug leads Gamalos until its back faces the rest of his team before digging in his heels and stopping in place.

He nods to his companions almost imperceptibly. I’m fine--finish it while it’s distracted.

ladyleonster​:​

Ethlyn takes a moment to admire her silver sword. She’d always been jealous of the one Sigurd had been gifted. It truly is a beautiful weapon and she hopes it will serve her as well as her brother’s did for him. Armed with a physic staff as well, she should be able to aid her comrades while still jumping into the fray.

She misses the horse she’d had the last round but she runs into the fray. They are fighting monsters this round, not just shadows of people, but she isn’t afraid. Her silver sword shines right before slashing against the minion.

Silver sword vs minion: roll 12-4, hit, 2 damage

Swapping her sword for a staff, she calls out to Shannan, “I know you’re doing alright, but a little extra help is always good!”

Physic to Shannan: roll 11, +6 hp to Shannan

As its minion falls, Gamalos turns to face the one that dealt the final blow. Ethlyn steadies herself. Whether the smaller one was simply just a minion or perhaps meant more to it, she knows exactly how hard she would fight if someone she cared for was defeated. She can’t imagine this thing giving anything less than its all.

Surge at Ethlyn: roll 13 + trample= 3.5 damage

With the fall of the minion, only one enemy remains. Of course, it’s the giant monster that hits like a speeding caravan (Author’s note: Trucks do not exist in this universe.), but hey, small victories. 

As tempting as it is to attack with reserve, they need to treat this one with the appropriate caution. As much as he wants to end this quickly, a misstep here would likely prove fatal. But it’s not as though they have the luxury of time to plan a new strategy, either.

Attacking as usual it is, then.

Volug throws his fists against Gamalos, an act that feels almost futile against such a large enemy, but the impact from his fists causes its armor to crack slightly.

Volug uses Aura Knuckles against Gamalos. 2d20 roll: 7, 20. Hit! Crit! Gamalos’s HP: 28.5/33. Seal Defense activates! Gamalos suffers -4 to Def for one round. Enemy 1d20: 3. Hit! Volug’s HP: 5.5/10.

Gamalos rears back and unleashes a surge of magic at the laguz. 

I can spare you some hands in these trying times

Before the rest of his team can finish off the final enemy, the arena is suddenly shifting. 

“Wait!” He calls out, arms up to cover his face from this weird darkness engulfing all of them. After a moment, they’re presented with a giant, shadowy figure before them. Gods above that was much bigger than anything they’d been fighting before. Alright, this was fine. 

Loptyr was bigger, after all.

There was some minor preparation that needed to be done before he felt any of them were ready to take this thing on. Turning to Ethlyn, he raises his hands fairly quickly, ready to cast some kind of healing spell. She was looking fairly ragged right now.

Shannan casts Recover on Ethlyn. 1d20 roll: 5+4. Decent Heal! (+4HP) Ethlyn’s HP: 9/10.

He’s not the best healer, but everyone starts somewhere. And besides, it’s a better alternative to watching another friend fall. Healing her up fairly well, he sighs out. “I have full faith in you all to pick up my slack, everyone!”

Unlike the human(?) enemies of before, two monstrous beasts materialize. As each round passes, the strength of their opponents increases. The imposing figure of the giant monster is almost enough to distract from its smaller companion, but Volug has his eyes fixed on the weaker of the two monsters. If they don’t get rid of the smaller one first, it’s going to be a major pain in the ass while they try to deal with the boss. So basically, the same strategy as always.  As they say, if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.

Volug throws his fists at the monster in the one-two that had slowly become familiar. As per usual, the first hit connects better than the second, though the discrepancy isn’t as large this time.

Volug uses Aura Knuckles against Gamalos Minion. 2d20 roll: 16, 14. Critical hit! Hit! Seal Defense activates!  Gamalos Minion HP: 6.5. Enemy roll: 1d20 roll: 7. Hit! Volug’s HP: 8/10.

The monster attacks back with Thoron, sending electricity running through Volug’s body.

ladyleonster:​

Ethlyn doesn’t need to see her son performing any tricks this time to know that he is doing well.  He isn’t limping or flinching.  Shannan seems to be doing alright too.  Finally, she turns her healing attention to poor Volug.

Recover for Volug: roll 14, +6 hp

“Don’t worry,” she laughs as her healing magic washes over the laguz and begins to heal the wounds she has neglected until now.  “I’ll still buy you that beer for making you wait this long!”​

“...Okay. I’ll be waiting,” Volug says, feeling his energy return by the second.

Rather than make a final attack, the dark mage disintegrates, fading away as quietly as they appeared. It’s not as though Volug is particularly desperate for murder, but it’s certainly a little anti-climatic to see the battle end so suddenly. Silence descends upon the battlefield.

For at least the moment, they can stop and catch their breath.

diadic​:​

   Ah… There comes the familiar aura of healing magic directed at him. He turns his head to see it is his mother, cheering him on. So she was watching him in that embarrassing flurry of missed attacks, huh? Maybe she thought he needed a pick me up, but she was clearly hurting herself, so comfort doesn’t come as easily as embarrassment does…

Troubadour casts Nosferatu on Leif. Enemy 1d20 roll: 14. Hit! Leif’s HP: 9/10. Leif is unable to counterattack.

…or as charges of Nosferatu do, clearly. Leif feels himself engulfed in that holy light again, unable to escape it in time as it explodes onto him.

“ Again?!?! ”

A frustrated cry escapes him, but now isn’t the time to worry about this. He notices Volug off attacking the other remaining pegasus knight, his complexion off…

The tell-tale signs of poison.

Shifting his lance to be held in only one hand, Leif removes the staff strapped to his back, waving it in the air and aiming its magic over towards the wolf.

Blessed Lance heals Leif. Leif’s HP: 10/10. Leif casts Restore on Volug. Volug is no longer poisoned.  

The remaining Pegasus Knight turns their blade on Volug, hitting him squarely across the chest. The wound isn’t particularly deep, but his entire body feels as leaden as if he had been submerged in water.

Pegasus Knight C uses Venin Edge on Volug. Enemy 1d20 roll: 17. Hit! Volug’s HP: 5.5/10. Volug is now inflicted with Minor Poison! 1d20 roll: 3+3. Hit! Pegasus Knight C’s HP: 9/10.

However, the sensation lasts but for a fleeting moment before Leif heals his poison before it has the chance to do any real damage. “Shannan. Pegasus is yours,” he calls out, turning his attention elsewhere. As thanks for the support, Volug turns his attention on the enemy taking advantage of their focus on the damage dealers to take potshots at Leif.

In the interest of ending the battle quickly, Volug halfshifts and launches himself at the troubadour, using the momentum to knock them off their horse. He sinks his teeth into their unprotected arm and shakes vigorously. Pinned to the ground beneath him, the troubadour tries using their free hand to cast Nosferatu directly at Volug’s chest. Volug shifts back and leaps out of the way, but not before swiping one last punch for good measure. Without a target, Nosferatu fizzles out in the empty air, ineffectual.

Volug uses Killer Knuckles on Troubadour A. Heartseeker activates! 2d20 roll: 20+8,1+8. Critical hit! Hit! Troubadour casts Nosferatu on Volug. Enemy 1d20 roll: 3. Miss! Troubadour A’s HP: 4/10.

ladyleonster​:

A horse materializes near Ethlyn’s side as new enemies appear before them. She gives it a pat before mounting but it doesn’t react. Right. It’s not a real horse. It’s a little unsettling but she’ll be able to get to her allies to heal them faster now.

Volug gets hit hard and Ethlyn wastes no time in heading toward him but the pegasus knight turns on Leif. Wings flap and lances clash and her heart rate quickens. He looks so much like his father wielding a lance like that.

Left with the choice between healing Volug and healing her son, Ethlyn doesn’t even think twice. She is not about to lose him again.

“Hang in there, okay Volug? I’ve got you next and I owe you a beer after this!”

She rushes to Leif’s side and points her staff toward him, casting recover. She can breathe easier knowing he’s alright.

Ethlyn uses Recover on Leif. 1d20 roll: 8. Good heal! +4 HP. Leif’s HP: 10/10

The dark mage casts a blast of Luna and it hits Ethlyn square in the shoulder. She hisses in pain but at least it isn’t her sword arm. Using the height advantage from being mounted, she swings her sword down upon them and the poisoned blade fizzles as it makes contact.

Dark Mage A uses Luna on Ethlyn at melee range. 1d20+4 roll: 10. Hit! 1d20 roll: 17. Hit! Poison Strike activates! Dark Mage A’s HP: 8/10. Poison Strike activates! Ethlyn’s HP: 5/10

Volug nods his understanding to Ethlyn and Shannan; take care of the lordling and he’ll take care of himself. He’s not the type to require micromanagement and he can take more than a few hits if it means his allies staying safe. (This is significantly more convincing when he isn’t covered in blood, but hey, beggars can’t be choosers.) “If we ever get out of here, I’ll take whatever you give me,” Volug mutters to himself in the Ancient Tongue. “You’d better not forget, though.”

He can take care of himself just fine, but if that mage has fire magic on them...He won’t be able to just shrug that off, especially in his weakened state. The sooner they finish it off, the better. Volug sets upon the mage that attacked Ethlyn next, awakening the latent power in his faux claws. When he carves into the flesh of the enemy, his own wounds sew themselves shut, leaving only dried blood behind as evidence that a wound had been there at all. If Volug weren’t so busy mauling the dark mage within an inch of their life, he might have been weirded out by this these strange magic gauntlets.

Volug uses Killer Knuckles on Dark Mage A. Draining Blow activates! Heartseeker activates! 2d20 roll: 3+4,1+4. Hit! Hit! Dark Mage A’s HP: 3/10. Enemy 1d20: 16+4. Hit! Poison Strike activates! Volug’s HP: 7/10.