From polite conversation to a treasonous war, attitudes shifted quickly in tense times. No sooner had Nighthand's boon been granted, than Baron attacked. An attack that was stymied almost immediately, by concerted effort between Sekai and Takua. Two attacks in response, and Baron was a ghost, given a lecture in the mean time.
While Takua and Sekai stared down the ghost of Baron, no one moved to resurrect him. Talal, meanwhile, presented her insight -- and her ultimatum -- to Xenobia.
Was it true, was it accurate? That Xenobia desired nothing more than absolute control over The World, to usurp the position of Master, as befitting the name of her Twilight Item, the Master's Crown? Was it true that her machinations throughout years had worked to recruit members to the Freedom Fighters, all to lead up to this moment? And would Xenobia accept her bargain, to assist them in their fight and to be left in power under the assumption that she helped them all wake up?
Before addressing Talal, Xenobia first stood from her throne, using the Treeweaver as a walking staff. She placed a hand on Sekai's shoulder and, with a diffuse blue-green light, the archer was healed from the damage of Baron's spell. "Though unnecessary, I appreciate your selflessness." She stood tall and noble, surveying the ragged group of freedom fighters before her. In particular, her eyes settled on Nall.
"A long time ago, do you know what our purpose was? Do you remember, Nall? Have you told them?" She chuckled quietly. "It was a simple plan. Hold players of The World hostage, ransom them, and get out of the oppressive grind of working for CC Corp. Immoral, sure. Illegal, dangerous, untested, all true. Yet compelling enough that all of agreed to do it." She turned to Talal. "If all I wanted was dominion over The World, I could have stopped before anything got this far. I could have been an Admin, not an Elite. The other side of the fence. Then again, we can all see how that has turned out. How well those Admins have protected this world from the likes of us."
"It was our presence that turned the tide in that battle, Xenobia." Nall responded. "That's part of why I left. When that plan went awry, there was no good reason to persist. When we got stuck with our hostages, what good did it do to keep going? We could have combined our keys right then, freed us all, and walked away. But no, we didn't, and now we're paying the price years later."
"So we are." Xenobia nodded. "Perhaps I've grown tired of it. All this power, all this control, but I'm a prisoner even here."
Xenobia hefted the Treeweaver and gave it a twirl. As it spun, it left a dark green-black trail in the air, faint, like a thin afterimage. "Do you know why I covet this spear?"
"Power." Nighthand said. "That thing killed thousands, maybe more."
"Power? No. Potential. This," she tapped the golden band around her head, her Twilight Item, "is fixed. It has phenomenal power and control, but it is limited. It has no growth. It has no evolution. This spear, though, was not made the way we made the keys. It grew, and continues to grow. Even now it's on par with the keys, but it grows without limit. It could one day be the most powerful artifact of the entire World. And it's mine."
She turned again to Talal. "And I want to test it. I could have that test here and now," She swung the spear abruptly, and it passed through Baron's ghost. As it did so, the ghost itself flickered, and Baron staggered with sudden sensation. "Or I could have that test elsewhere."
"It's just up to you to convince me, whether I should test it on all of you, here and now, or whether someone like Garaa makes a better test subject."
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Re: The Journey’s Next Step: Yamiyo In Chaos
As it turned out, Xenobia was fine thanks to some quick thinking and better placement. She than began to monologue about CC Corp and her past life in the real world and moralities about actions they did. Were they responsible for this whole coma fiasco going on? It was a little farfetched so Maoh consciously decided to defer his judgement on the scenario for later.
That spear though. As Xenobia moved it, Maoh watched it’s tip, how it streaked through the air leaving a ghostly apparition of its previous location behind it. What was that thing? What did it do? All he knew about it was that it was powerful and a tipping point in this whole deal that was going on. She spoke of testing its power and then hit Baron’s ghost with it. He flickered and she then addressed Talal again. "It's just up to you to convince me, whether I should test it on all of you, here and now, or whether someone like Garaa makes a better test subject."
It was Maoh’s turn to speak, first off the bat. He’d been quiet through the first exchange and now that the guillotine was hanging precariously above with no certainty if it was going to drop on them or their foes, he wanted some added insurance. "Well, I'm a cat now apparently. I would think that this... Gaara is probably gonna test the upper limit of that spear better than using it on me." He wore a slightly playful expression on his face to make him seem less of a threat.
Xenobia didn’t seem to buy it, her tone seemed to hint that she was merely playing with her food. "Oh, certainly. But it also absorbs the data from people it kills. Your data would be a tasty little morsel for it."
Maoh goes to speak, raising a digit to rebut, but falls short. He pauses, furrows his brow and then continues. "Well, I get a boon thing for climbing the tower, right? I want mine to be something powerful as well so I cannot just die to the spear or anything like it." t was a long shot, and it wasn’t likely she would hand over that crown she tapped before or the spear at her side, but perhaps he’d get something out of this after all.
"A tall order. You're quite likely to experience death numerous times in the battles to come, whether or not you fight me." Maoh knew this, but he didn’t mean just getting ghosted. He meant something to stop that death from a game over. A real death.
"I figure fighting you now is a death more permanent than fighting a few more Goblins on Delta Server to level up some more. There's bound to be others like you, not as powerful that I may also come across, so..." He trailed off. He had nothing to stand on nor had anything to use as leverage as the new player to this game everyone else seemed to be entrenched in. Maoh lowered his gaze a little, unsure of what to do if this fails. Sure, he wasn’t dead now, but they weren’t out of the clear yet.
"Well, I won't say that I don't have some ideas,” Maoh looked back up, curious and pleased at the potential. Xenobia continued, “…but they require some craftsmanship. Unless you prefer a stock piece of armor, that I could give you."
Jackpot.
Maoh shook his head"Craftsmanship is fine. As a former craftsman, I admire the personal touch." Maoh decided to play it humble. He had effectively secured what he was after even if he didn’t know the specifics. Besides, a personally crafted item by someone with the power of an Elite? Sounded good to Maoh, even if he didn’t fully comprehend what that meant.
"Very well. Assuming you all convince me not to kill you, I'll give you something when we leave." She smirked, making Maoh feel uncomfortable again. He’d semi-secured an item assuming that there wasn’t another attack. Maoh glanced at Baron for a second before looking back at Xenobia.
”Yes. Uh…Good! We shall do that.” He was visibly worried, and gulped now being uncertain of any other hostile members of their group towards their host. He wanted that item. He didn’t know what it was, or what it did, but if anything positive was going to come out today then he was going to cling to it like his life depended on it.
That spear though. As Xenobia moved it, Maoh watched it’s tip, how it streaked through the air leaving a ghostly apparition of its previous location behind it. What was that thing? What did it do? All he knew about it was that it was powerful and a tipping point in this whole deal that was going on. She spoke of testing its power and then hit Baron’s ghost with it. He flickered and she then addressed Talal again. "It's just up to you to convince me, whether I should test it on all of you, here and now, or whether someone like Garaa makes a better test subject."
It was Maoh’s turn to speak, first off the bat. He’d been quiet through the first exchange and now that the guillotine was hanging precariously above with no certainty if it was going to drop on them or their foes, he wanted some added insurance. "Well, I'm a cat now apparently. I would think that this... Gaara is probably gonna test the upper limit of that spear better than using it on me." He wore a slightly playful expression on his face to make him seem less of a threat.
Xenobia didn’t seem to buy it, her tone seemed to hint that she was merely playing with her food. "Oh, certainly. But it also absorbs the data from people it kills. Your data would be a tasty little morsel for it."
Maoh goes to speak, raising a digit to rebut, but falls short. He pauses, furrows his brow and then continues. "Well, I get a boon thing for climbing the tower, right? I want mine to be something powerful as well so I cannot just die to the spear or anything like it." t was a long shot, and it wasn’t likely she would hand over that crown she tapped before or the spear at her side, but perhaps he’d get something out of this after all.
"A tall order. You're quite likely to experience death numerous times in the battles to come, whether or not you fight me." Maoh knew this, but he didn’t mean just getting ghosted. He meant something to stop that death from a game over. A real death.
"I figure fighting you now is a death more permanent than fighting a few more Goblins on Delta Server to level up some more. There's bound to be others like you, not as powerful that I may also come across, so..." He trailed off. He had nothing to stand on nor had anything to use as leverage as the new player to this game everyone else seemed to be entrenched in. Maoh lowered his gaze a little, unsure of what to do if this fails. Sure, he wasn’t dead now, but they weren’t out of the clear yet.
"Well, I won't say that I don't have some ideas,” Maoh looked back up, curious and pleased at the potential. Xenobia continued, “…but they require some craftsmanship. Unless you prefer a stock piece of armor, that I could give you."
Jackpot.
Maoh shook his head"Craftsmanship is fine. As a former craftsman, I admire the personal touch." Maoh decided to play it humble. He had effectively secured what he was after even if he didn’t know the specifics. Besides, a personally crafted item by someone with the power of an Elite? Sounded good to Maoh, even if he didn’t fully comprehend what that meant.
"Very well. Assuming you all convince me not to kill you, I'll give you something when we leave." She smirked, making Maoh feel uncomfortable again. He’d semi-secured an item assuming that there wasn’t another attack. Maoh glanced at Baron for a second before looking back at Xenobia.
”Yes. Uh…Good! We shall do that.” He was visibly worried, and gulped now being uncertain of any other hostile members of their group towards their host. He wanted that item. He didn’t know what it was, or what it did, but if anything positive was going to come out today then he was going to cling to it like his life depended on it.
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Re: The Journey’s Next Step: Yamiyo In Chaos
(After his conversation with the killer plant lady, Canti was satisfied to let other people handle this with different tactics and better words. All this talky-talky stuff wasn't really his deal. Leave diplomacy to the diplomats. Leave simple common sense stuff to simple people, like him. He wasn't some tactical genius, great leader, or particularly-sneaky bastard. He was a mechanic from Boston doing the best he can. So, soon enough, Nighthand got into the act and did his thing, and then Baron stepped up and...things...went...wrong.)
Canti: Oh, you frigging IDIOT...
(The Twin Blade facepalmed - Hell, even Shadow facepawed - as Baron decided to attack Xenobia...alone. He did so without indicating that he was going to try or consulting anyone. He did so, even though it was freely-known that they would all turn on Xenobia at the first sign of trouble from her. One could suppose he thought any trouble would suffice, but if that were the case...he supposed WRONG. To illustrate this, let's move on to the next people to act. Takua verbalized what Canti was thinking, shortly before nuking the guy, and Sekai had both stepped in front of the attack he'd used and shot back with a special arrow attack. Between the two, Baron was quite dead. Talal had looked like she might've wanted to intervene, but Canti was glad that she didn't, because not only wouldn't it have worked...but that death was kind of cheap right now in a team. Baron was ghosted. And then, Talal began to speak up rather firmly to the Juk Elite.)
Shadow: What's she doing?
Canti: Forcing the isssue, trying to make her show her cards.
(It was after this, and after healing Sekai, that Xenobia indeed spoke her peace...and brother, did she have something to say! All this ruling and power and dominion and crap was actually Plan B, what they decided on after trying to take The World from those who Admin it didn't work. So, they were stuck with their machinations, except...Xenobia had that spear, the Treeweaver. It was not a normal Twilight item. It expanded its range of power. It grew and changed. What Xenobia desired - apart from the usual power trip - was to test the powers of that item and see how far it will go. Could it grant her unlimited power in the way her special item could not? She wanted to know, and it was up to them to convince her whether she was going to turn it against the other Elites...or those present. Maoh spoke up about that whole 'Boon' thing. Canti didn't really trust that, didn't trust her. The hack on his arm he got from the Fire Master was on the level, probably. He and Klive had given him reason to believe their motivations. Xenobia? Uh-uh. She was a manipulator and would remain so. If she gave anyone here a boon, there was every possibility that a boobytrap lay within. So instead, Canti moved up with a new verbal tactic, to tug at her desires and see which way her temperment would go. Once he had her attention, the Twin Blade smirked.)
Canti: I think Garaa's the perfect test subject. If your spear grows by battling and gathering data, then it works basically like a character in The World, right? The more you do, the more you get, and the higher the foe, the bigger the pay-off. Collectively, we have beaten Elites, but individually your spear wouldn't get the same kind of buzz you would from Garaa and his Doomkeeper.
(He still remembered the extremely unpleasant situation of being scythed by that thing, as did Shadow.)
Canti: Him and Royce are juggernauts, special bosses, and you know everything about them, like having a strategy guide.
"A better test, but not a safe test. From what I know -- and we do keep secrets from each other -- Garaa has developed the ability to attack infection directly, rather than using game constructs like many of us. And Royce's Light element was explicitly created for her when we made the keys, special snowflake that she is, and works around game logic. I'm not sure I want to risk destroying the spear before I'm sure of its resilience."
Canti: Yeah, I think I've experienced both, first hand.
(Vaporized by Royce, slashed by Doomkeeper. To what extent that is on the 'Same-Page-O-Meter', we're not sure. Still, like the unique nature of those very things he'd been attacked by before, Canti had to wonder about Treeweaver itself.)
Canti: What's your spear actually gain when you kill with it? Just strength?
(Xenobia looked at the weapon for a moment, turning it over in her hands.)
"You know, I'm not even certain myself. It's not codified the way the keys are, into discrete skills and abilities. It's a really simple spear, but if you could look at its code... Well, I'm sure Sheena would have a field day. I didn't even know you could MAKE a fractal matrix array."
Canti: And for those of us who don't understand code, I'll just assume that's really complex and move on. Still, you're thinking in one-on-one terms. You're thinking it's not safe because it's a hard fight. Well, they're all hard fights, but obviously we'd be running interference against them. More people, different tactics, different abilities, and they're usually alone.
(Case in point: This room. More than half a dozen players, plus pets, facing one powerful Elite.)
"As true as that is, how much of your success against the other Elites has been luck? How much could be attributed solely to Nall and his hoard of items? If I'm there, on your side, I'll be the biggest threat. Frankly, many of you are mostly ignorable."
Canti: Nall hasn't done much for a while.
(He turned to Nall for a second, going "No offense, Nall." before turning back. It wasn't his fault. Canti respected Nall, even though he was a former Elite. He was a good leader, he had power in his court, and he understood delegation and teamwork. He hadn't helped majorly in a while because he couldn't, because he'd been hurt. Still, as he was recovering nicely, he could surely be counted on when the chips were down.)
Canti: It's obvious he's the biggest gun, but he's not the only gun and while the caliber may very, they're not ineffective. We can't be that ignorable if you Elites keep coming down from Mt. Olympus to pick a fight. It's not luck. It's skill. And if you're worried about getting your head cut off because of your power, what good is it for?
"You may have a point, at that."
(FINALLY! It was like talking to a wall of wood! She didn't want to admit to anything or give any hint of cooperation! At last, we make some progress here! Though...rather than continue to address the thought of an upcoming battle and the power dynamics involved, she gestured at the ghost of Baron.)
"If we're going to do this, though, you need to work out your own differences. I'm not going to risk my neck for your group if I have to watch my back."
(Switching gears was alright with him. Somehow, discussing Baron felt right at this point. He was the proverbial elephant in the room, made manifest.)
Canti: Well, nobody's ever going to like you. This is politics, and I hate politics, and I definitely hate your Jedi mind-tricks. We're pretty much in it because we think the payoff might be worth it. I guess some of us aren't team players. Baron's kinda' reminding me of Dien right now, impulsively screwing shit up.
(Yeah, Dien-slam. What of it? It was Canti's own mission, his rules and his call that that guy messed with! And he use to think that Blademaster was smart... Well, we're not gonna have it end that way with Baron, here. Something would have to be done.)
"Yes, well, I like my plans to go smoothly. If your group can't handle that, something could break. Maybe our alliance, or maybe your group. Of course, I could always just enforce compliance..."
(His black eyes narrowed at her.)
Canti: Become a conditioned slave like Suraisu? I don't think so. We wouldn't even let you have Baron. If you want some guarantees, you're going to have to give some. No mind-fuckery. I'm sure a bunch of us are in this mess because of that alone. I know I am.
(Yeah, not only pulling him into this because of Suraisu and the Tenebrous Tower fiasco, but also by controlling the guy that actually PK'd him and induced the coma in the first place. Xenobia figured VERY prominently Canti's personal 'Naughty List', others being Dien and Baron, the order of assassins he found in Yamiyo, and - naturally - the other Elites. This one here decided to give them something to work with, however.)
"I won't control you if you give me no cause. Assault me, try to stab me in the back, and all bets are off."
(Wow. It's like lightning struck twice. Two victories at the deal table. Must be a full moon back in real life. At any rate, that seemed to be fairly satisfactory to the Twin Blade. You know damn well that people are gonna be giving her space because of what they think of her and her special powers.)
Canti: Obviously, we're gonna have a little talk with Baron. Since the name of the game is 'Cease Fire', we'll just have to be sure they don't go off.
(Alone, they aren't enough to penetrate the hull of the Elite, anyway.)
"Have your talk. Make sure the rest of your group agrees with you, and we may be on to something here."
(Canti just sort of nodded at this, deciding there wasn't much more he could add to the matter. He turned and headed back towards the group - specifically over to Nall, Nighthand, Sheena, and Demorian - and addressed them, in regards to Baron Deadmass.)
Canti: Well, ball's in your court, guys. 'Least we got our foot in the door.
Canti: Oh, you frigging IDIOT...
(The Twin Blade facepalmed - Hell, even Shadow facepawed - as Baron decided to attack Xenobia...alone. He did so without indicating that he was going to try or consulting anyone. He did so, even though it was freely-known that they would all turn on Xenobia at the first sign of trouble from her. One could suppose he thought any trouble would suffice, but if that were the case...he supposed WRONG. To illustrate this, let's move on to the next people to act. Takua verbalized what Canti was thinking, shortly before nuking the guy, and Sekai had both stepped in front of the attack he'd used and shot back with a special arrow attack. Between the two, Baron was quite dead. Talal had looked like she might've wanted to intervene, but Canti was glad that she didn't, because not only wouldn't it have worked...but that death was kind of cheap right now in a team. Baron was ghosted. And then, Talal began to speak up rather firmly to the Juk Elite.)
Shadow: What's she doing?
Canti: Forcing the isssue, trying to make her show her cards.
(It was after this, and after healing Sekai, that Xenobia indeed spoke her peace...and brother, did she have something to say! All this ruling and power and dominion and crap was actually Plan B, what they decided on after trying to take The World from those who Admin it didn't work. So, they were stuck with their machinations, except...Xenobia had that spear, the Treeweaver. It was not a normal Twilight item. It expanded its range of power. It grew and changed. What Xenobia desired - apart from the usual power trip - was to test the powers of that item and see how far it will go. Could it grant her unlimited power in the way her special item could not? She wanted to know, and it was up to them to convince her whether she was going to turn it against the other Elites...or those present. Maoh spoke up about that whole 'Boon' thing. Canti didn't really trust that, didn't trust her. The hack on his arm he got from the Fire Master was on the level, probably. He and Klive had given him reason to believe their motivations. Xenobia? Uh-uh. She was a manipulator and would remain so. If she gave anyone here a boon, there was every possibility that a boobytrap lay within. So instead, Canti moved up with a new verbal tactic, to tug at her desires and see which way her temperment would go. Once he had her attention, the Twin Blade smirked.)
Canti: I think Garaa's the perfect test subject. If your spear grows by battling and gathering data, then it works basically like a character in The World, right? The more you do, the more you get, and the higher the foe, the bigger the pay-off. Collectively, we have beaten Elites, but individually your spear wouldn't get the same kind of buzz you would from Garaa and his Doomkeeper.
(He still remembered the extremely unpleasant situation of being scythed by that thing, as did Shadow.)
Canti: Him and Royce are juggernauts, special bosses, and you know everything about them, like having a strategy guide.
"A better test, but not a safe test. From what I know -- and we do keep secrets from each other -- Garaa has developed the ability to attack infection directly, rather than using game constructs like many of us. And Royce's Light element was explicitly created for her when we made the keys, special snowflake that she is, and works around game logic. I'm not sure I want to risk destroying the spear before I'm sure of its resilience."
Canti: Yeah, I think I've experienced both, first hand.
(Vaporized by Royce, slashed by Doomkeeper. To what extent that is on the 'Same-Page-O-Meter', we're not sure. Still, like the unique nature of those very things he'd been attacked by before, Canti had to wonder about Treeweaver itself.)
Canti: What's your spear actually gain when you kill with it? Just strength?
(Xenobia looked at the weapon for a moment, turning it over in her hands.)
"You know, I'm not even certain myself. It's not codified the way the keys are, into discrete skills and abilities. It's a really simple spear, but if you could look at its code... Well, I'm sure Sheena would have a field day. I didn't even know you could MAKE a fractal matrix array."
Canti: And for those of us who don't understand code, I'll just assume that's really complex and move on. Still, you're thinking in one-on-one terms. You're thinking it's not safe because it's a hard fight. Well, they're all hard fights, but obviously we'd be running interference against them. More people, different tactics, different abilities, and they're usually alone.
(Case in point: This room. More than half a dozen players, plus pets, facing one powerful Elite.)
"As true as that is, how much of your success against the other Elites has been luck? How much could be attributed solely to Nall and his hoard of items? If I'm there, on your side, I'll be the biggest threat. Frankly, many of you are mostly ignorable."
Canti: Nall hasn't done much for a while.
(He turned to Nall for a second, going "No offense, Nall." before turning back. It wasn't his fault. Canti respected Nall, even though he was a former Elite. He was a good leader, he had power in his court, and he understood delegation and teamwork. He hadn't helped majorly in a while because he couldn't, because he'd been hurt. Still, as he was recovering nicely, he could surely be counted on when the chips were down.)
Canti: It's obvious he's the biggest gun, but he's not the only gun and while the caliber may very, they're not ineffective. We can't be that ignorable if you Elites keep coming down from Mt. Olympus to pick a fight. It's not luck. It's skill. And if you're worried about getting your head cut off because of your power, what good is it for?
"You may have a point, at that."
(FINALLY! It was like talking to a wall of wood! She didn't want to admit to anything or give any hint of cooperation! At last, we make some progress here! Though...rather than continue to address the thought of an upcoming battle and the power dynamics involved, she gestured at the ghost of Baron.)
"If we're going to do this, though, you need to work out your own differences. I'm not going to risk my neck for your group if I have to watch my back."
(Switching gears was alright with him. Somehow, discussing Baron felt right at this point. He was the proverbial elephant in the room, made manifest.)
Canti: Well, nobody's ever going to like you. This is politics, and I hate politics, and I definitely hate your Jedi mind-tricks. We're pretty much in it because we think the payoff might be worth it. I guess some of us aren't team players. Baron's kinda' reminding me of Dien right now, impulsively screwing shit up.
(Yeah, Dien-slam. What of it? It was Canti's own mission, his rules and his call that that guy messed with! And he use to think that Blademaster was smart... Well, we're not gonna have it end that way with Baron, here. Something would have to be done.)
"Yes, well, I like my plans to go smoothly. If your group can't handle that, something could break. Maybe our alliance, or maybe your group. Of course, I could always just enforce compliance..."
(His black eyes narrowed at her.)
Canti: Become a conditioned slave like Suraisu? I don't think so. We wouldn't even let you have Baron. If you want some guarantees, you're going to have to give some. No mind-fuckery. I'm sure a bunch of us are in this mess because of that alone. I know I am.
(Yeah, not only pulling him into this because of Suraisu and the Tenebrous Tower fiasco, but also by controlling the guy that actually PK'd him and induced the coma in the first place. Xenobia figured VERY prominently Canti's personal 'Naughty List', others being Dien and Baron, the order of assassins he found in Yamiyo, and - naturally - the other Elites. This one here decided to give them something to work with, however.)
"I won't control you if you give me no cause. Assault me, try to stab me in the back, and all bets are off."
(Wow. It's like lightning struck twice. Two victories at the deal table. Must be a full moon back in real life. At any rate, that seemed to be fairly satisfactory to the Twin Blade. You know damn well that people are gonna be giving her space because of what they think of her and her special powers.)
Canti: Obviously, we're gonna have a little talk with Baron. Since the name of the game is 'Cease Fire', we'll just have to be sure they don't go off.
(Alone, they aren't enough to penetrate the hull of the Elite, anyway.)
"Have your talk. Make sure the rest of your group agrees with you, and we may be on to something here."
(Canti just sort of nodded at this, deciding there wasn't much more he could add to the matter. He turned and headed back towards the group - specifically over to Nall, Nighthand, Sheena, and Demorian - and addressed them, in regards to Baron Deadmass.)
Canti: Well, ball's in your court, guys. 'Least we got our foot in the door.
I'll have a doozy of a sig later, I swear. It'll reflect ".hack//CODE" an' everything.
Hey look! A profile! It's got items and stats and things! Cool! If it isn't fully up to date, it will be, so don't worry 'bout it.
Hey look! A profile! It's got items and stats and things! Cool! If it isn't fully up to date, it will be, so don't worry 'bout it.
Re: The Journey’s Next Step: Yamiyo In Chaos
Baron had known on acting that his attack would do nothing. He had anticipated his attack to be dispersed easily, yet he had also hoped that his actions would spur his allies to act as well. Needless to say it did, but not in the way he expected. The Twin Blade felt a spell slide off of him as Takua's Miu Lei spell was resisted, unable to take a hold. It didn't matter, though; what was worse was Sekai, jumping in front of the spell aimed at Xenobia, The spires impaled her, but they might as well have impaled Baron too as he watched the stone pillars tear through the woman's flesh and blood. Horrified, the Twin Blade was about to speak out, to act and try to heal his comrade. Surely Xenobia must have controlled her to step in the way of his attack; she wouldn't have done that of her own free will, right?
The icy arrow through the chest combined with Takua's PhaRue Rom told him otherwise. It was as if both had forgotten that every sensation in the game was felt as real as life, and they had just torn him apart. Ice shards eviscerated and tore through skin and muscle, leaving fiery pain along the nerves. His eye was struck, causing half of his vision to go even as he cried out in agony. Fortunately Sekai's arrow was a blessing, an end to the suffering as it simply killed him, ending the pain of the powerful ice spell tearing him apart. But in its place, a new pain had blossomed, a pain that Baron had never expected from one of his dearest companions. Betrayal was a wound deeper than anything Sekai's arrow had inflicted, and the pain was just too much...
Something broke.
“...Traitor?” Baron's words would be hollow, devoid of emotion. He looked like he was trying terribly hard to be angry, yet for all his efforts his expression looked more numb. Those words had broken something inside of him, had snapped the metaphorical last straw. “Traitor. Traitor? Me?” The expression he gave her was strange, a mix of pity and contempt. “...That's beautiful, Sekai. Traitor.” At first, he seemed to just be rambling. Perhaps he was, yet he was deadly serious. Him, a traitor? He was the one who was betrayed! Yet he couldn't work up the anger for it, for some reason. He couldn't work up much of any emotion.
“Sidhe. Nemera. Gyl. Where are they, Sekai?” He'd ask suddenly, the question coming out of nowhere. The members of the Eventide Crescendo, no longer communicating with them since the Juk Prison; those were the names he had given. “They disappeared. Have they contacted you since then? No, I imagine not. Dead people can't communicate.” He said that almost coldly, with no emotion to it. “I can't really believe they're alive, either. And where did we last see them before they disappeared? The Juk Field. And who's in charge of that, Sekai? Who's at the top of the chain there?” His glance would go over towards Xenobia. “And then, what about the other three victims she and hers have claimed? Myself, Talal, Takua. Are you going to forget that too?” His words were picking up in intensity as he continued, yet felt so terribly empty despite the increasing strength of them.
“Perhaps you have forgotten, Baron-san,” Sekai's tone was like ice, and the formality wasn't the normally warm, respectful tone she usually offered, but rather that of someone whom she had no desire to be acquainted with, That the Highers aspired to become what the Elites are now—aspirations that held no promise nor backing by the ones they desired to be in the slightest; something you would have known had you actually been here instead of going rogue.”
At the mention of their fallen comrades, Sekai's anger grew further, her eyes glowing with her fury. Baron could swear he saw hatred in her eyes yet... for some reason, what would have normally struck to the heart had no effect on him. “You dare mention them to me—you, you who knew nothing of them and spat in the face of their sacrifices, their goals to release those from the coma and return them to the world in which they belonged? How dare you, when you and your inability to keep your arrogant mouth closed in a time of crisis are the reason Talal-san, Takua-san, and yourself are trapped within this game! You swore that you were not here to cause trouble—you promised that a repeat of the Juk Field would not come about, and you lied. You lied and broke your promise for a revenge you aren't even capable of taking."
A thousand daggers, and not a single one was driven home. Maybe it was because he felt so empty right now, but Baron was calm and quiet as he replied, his tone completely neutral. “You're right. I lied.” He didn't deny it. How could he deny such an obvious fact? He had lied, because his heart had burned with the desire for revenge all of this time. Maybe he had masked it beneath the cheerful facade that everyone had come to expect from him, maybe he had just let himself forget for a time until faced with the object of his revenge itself. Regardless of the why or how, it had come to a head now, leading to their current situation. “...But you're missing a few key points, too."
Again that cold tone, that slump to his shoulders. It was as if the facade were collapsing upon itself, leaving just a shell behind. “Baron” was gone, with only his words and body left behind. “My 'inability to keep my mouth shut' had nothing to do with us being trapped in the game. It only sped up the inevitable. Xenobia wasn't going to let us go, that much is obvious. The fault will always be there, even if you don't want to acknowledge the darkness of your new... mistress.” Emotion came briefly, almost like a haughty sniff of disapproval.
“Not only do you have diarrhea of the mouth, you have wool stuffed so far in your ears it's a wonder how you manage to even hear yourself speak. We are here to recruit Xenobia to our side; the side of freeing us from the comas—again, something you would know if you– you... if you'd just pull your head out of your ass!" Another time, and Baron might have laughed at Kira's words coming from Sekai's mouth, but there was no laughter right now.
“If that's how you feel, Sekai, if you don't mind the blood splashed liberally across your hands by defending a murderess? I'll add one more to it.” He'd pause for a moment, closing his eyes in concentration before opening them again. In that time he had mentally called up the HUD for the game, opening the party menu and moving his mental cursor to the “Disband” option. He quickly conveyed this to Sekai. “...I have the party menu open now, Sekai. Metaphorically, my hand is hovering over the 'Disband' option. Do you know what happens if I push that? What happens to a ghosted, Twilight-infected player without a party to anchor him to The World?” Baron knew all too well. Without someone to anchor them, a Twilight-infected ghost had an extremely high chance of simply being deleted or disappearing. It was death made permanent, rather than removable. Despite that, the Twin Blade gave an absent shrug. “But no, I'm sure you don't care. Why would you? I'm a 'traitor' and 'no ally of yours.' I'll simply disappear, and then you will move on.”
He gave a half sigh that seemed more forced than authentic, but the words that followed were chilling enough. “...We're already dead anyway. After how long we've been in comas, it's a wonder if there's anything out there for us.”
Everything went still for a moment, and then suddenly, a Rip Maen brought Baron back to life. Shock registered faintly, but didn't show on the Twin Blade's face. It seemed that Sekai had believed his threat... and for good reason, given that he had authentically been ready to press the button. Losing the last thing in this room that made him want to try and live—the friends and comrades he had thought would be by his side until he was free from his coma—had been enough of a trigger to drive Baron to the point where death was a very valid and permanent release from this nightmare he was in.
But there was little time to react as Sekai's hand came up to slap him, anger painted across her face liberally. “If you wish to become a suicidal imbecile for the sake of your own foolish pride rather than realize that this world, like the one we belong to, is not the black and white good-and-evil that your fantasies paint them out to be—that is on you, not me; I will not have responsibility for your life when you choose to do everything in your power to throw it away!” And yet she had revived him; clearly there was a measure of guilt hidden beneath the surface, as Sekai had indeed proven how much she felt responsible for him. “I'm alive.” Another slap rang out. “Feel that? You're alive too. You're alive until you decide you no longer want to be—so hurry up and make up your mind; are you alive, or are you dead?”
The first slap would crack across the room like lightning, leaving a deep, red welt on the side of Baron's face, yet he hardly flinched. His eyes were as empty as they had been as a ghost, with no feeling in them. Silver had faded to a dull, unpolished gray, and the gaze that had been so full of life and enthusiasm through all the trials of the Juk Prison was now just... absent. He stared directly at Sekai, yet it was like he didn't see her at all. The second slap did no more to bring him back to reality, and even as she berated him, he began to walk away. Baron had nothing else to say, it seemed, as he headed for the room's exit.
Her question was pointless; was he alive or dead? He had already stated his feelings; at this point, he was the next closest thing to dead. His “friends” would betray him for the one who had sent him into a coma, and the one person he had felt closest too of all of the Freedom Fighters, the small Archer whom he had believed in wholly, had stabbed him in the back worst of all. No, Baron felt nothing as he made his way out of the room. He didn't even hear Sekai shouting after him as he departed, though absently he opened the party menu once more, and this time, he did disband himself from the party. The sense of everyone's presence was gone, and for the first time in a long time, Baron felt completely alone. He wasn't just alone in location, but completely and utterly devoid of the presence of others. It was kind of chilling, in its own way.
Baron, are you sure about this? If you leave, they may not take you back, and with it may go your last chance to get out of your coma.
I've already said I don't care. I'm the next closest thing to dead anyway, I might as well just find a place in the Delta server to hunker down and live out however much longer I have left. Higure said nothing, and Baron was left in silence as he made his way towards the entrance of the tower. From there, he easily jumped over to the Delta Server, making his way into Mac Anu. There was nothing more to be said.
(OOC: At this point Baron has officially left the thread.)
The icy arrow through the chest combined with Takua's PhaRue Rom told him otherwise. It was as if both had forgotten that every sensation in the game was felt as real as life, and they had just torn him apart. Ice shards eviscerated and tore through skin and muscle, leaving fiery pain along the nerves. His eye was struck, causing half of his vision to go even as he cried out in agony. Fortunately Sekai's arrow was a blessing, an end to the suffering as it simply killed him, ending the pain of the powerful ice spell tearing him apart. But in its place, a new pain had blossomed, a pain that Baron had never expected from one of his dearest companions. Betrayal was a wound deeper than anything Sekai's arrow had inflicted, and the pain was just too much...
Something broke.
“...Traitor?” Baron's words would be hollow, devoid of emotion. He looked like he was trying terribly hard to be angry, yet for all his efforts his expression looked more numb. Those words had broken something inside of him, had snapped the metaphorical last straw. “Traitor. Traitor? Me?” The expression he gave her was strange, a mix of pity and contempt. “...That's beautiful, Sekai. Traitor.” At first, he seemed to just be rambling. Perhaps he was, yet he was deadly serious. Him, a traitor? He was the one who was betrayed! Yet he couldn't work up the anger for it, for some reason. He couldn't work up much of any emotion.
“Sidhe. Nemera. Gyl. Where are they, Sekai?” He'd ask suddenly, the question coming out of nowhere. The members of the Eventide Crescendo, no longer communicating with them since the Juk Prison; those were the names he had given. “They disappeared. Have they contacted you since then? No, I imagine not. Dead people can't communicate.” He said that almost coldly, with no emotion to it. “I can't really believe they're alive, either. And where did we last see them before they disappeared? The Juk Field. And who's in charge of that, Sekai? Who's at the top of the chain there?” His glance would go over towards Xenobia. “And then, what about the other three victims she and hers have claimed? Myself, Talal, Takua. Are you going to forget that too?” His words were picking up in intensity as he continued, yet felt so terribly empty despite the increasing strength of them.
“Perhaps you have forgotten, Baron-san,” Sekai's tone was like ice, and the formality wasn't the normally warm, respectful tone she usually offered, but rather that of someone whom she had no desire to be acquainted with, That the Highers aspired to become what the Elites are now—aspirations that held no promise nor backing by the ones they desired to be in the slightest; something you would have known had you actually been here instead of going rogue.”
At the mention of their fallen comrades, Sekai's anger grew further, her eyes glowing with her fury. Baron could swear he saw hatred in her eyes yet... for some reason, what would have normally struck to the heart had no effect on him. “You dare mention them to me—you, you who knew nothing of them and spat in the face of their sacrifices, their goals to release those from the coma and return them to the world in which they belonged? How dare you, when you and your inability to keep your arrogant mouth closed in a time of crisis are the reason Talal-san, Takua-san, and yourself are trapped within this game! You swore that you were not here to cause trouble—you promised that a repeat of the Juk Field would not come about, and you lied. You lied and broke your promise for a revenge you aren't even capable of taking."
A thousand daggers, and not a single one was driven home. Maybe it was because he felt so empty right now, but Baron was calm and quiet as he replied, his tone completely neutral. “You're right. I lied.” He didn't deny it. How could he deny such an obvious fact? He had lied, because his heart had burned with the desire for revenge all of this time. Maybe he had masked it beneath the cheerful facade that everyone had come to expect from him, maybe he had just let himself forget for a time until faced with the object of his revenge itself. Regardless of the why or how, it had come to a head now, leading to their current situation. “...But you're missing a few key points, too."
Again that cold tone, that slump to his shoulders. It was as if the facade were collapsing upon itself, leaving just a shell behind. “Baron” was gone, with only his words and body left behind. “My 'inability to keep my mouth shut' had nothing to do with us being trapped in the game. It only sped up the inevitable. Xenobia wasn't going to let us go, that much is obvious. The fault will always be there, even if you don't want to acknowledge the darkness of your new... mistress.” Emotion came briefly, almost like a haughty sniff of disapproval.
“Not only do you have diarrhea of the mouth, you have wool stuffed so far in your ears it's a wonder how you manage to even hear yourself speak. We are here to recruit Xenobia to our side; the side of freeing us from the comas—again, something you would know if you– you... if you'd just pull your head out of your ass!" Another time, and Baron might have laughed at Kira's words coming from Sekai's mouth, but there was no laughter right now.
“If that's how you feel, Sekai, if you don't mind the blood splashed liberally across your hands by defending a murderess? I'll add one more to it.” He'd pause for a moment, closing his eyes in concentration before opening them again. In that time he had mentally called up the HUD for the game, opening the party menu and moving his mental cursor to the “Disband” option. He quickly conveyed this to Sekai. “...I have the party menu open now, Sekai. Metaphorically, my hand is hovering over the 'Disband' option. Do you know what happens if I push that? What happens to a ghosted, Twilight-infected player without a party to anchor him to The World?” Baron knew all too well. Without someone to anchor them, a Twilight-infected ghost had an extremely high chance of simply being deleted or disappearing. It was death made permanent, rather than removable. Despite that, the Twin Blade gave an absent shrug. “But no, I'm sure you don't care. Why would you? I'm a 'traitor' and 'no ally of yours.' I'll simply disappear, and then you will move on.”
He gave a half sigh that seemed more forced than authentic, but the words that followed were chilling enough. “...We're already dead anyway. After how long we've been in comas, it's a wonder if there's anything out there for us.”
Everything went still for a moment, and then suddenly, a Rip Maen brought Baron back to life. Shock registered faintly, but didn't show on the Twin Blade's face. It seemed that Sekai had believed his threat... and for good reason, given that he had authentically been ready to press the button. Losing the last thing in this room that made him want to try and live—the friends and comrades he had thought would be by his side until he was free from his coma—had been enough of a trigger to drive Baron to the point where death was a very valid and permanent release from this nightmare he was in.
But there was little time to react as Sekai's hand came up to slap him, anger painted across her face liberally. “If you wish to become a suicidal imbecile for the sake of your own foolish pride rather than realize that this world, like the one we belong to, is not the black and white good-and-evil that your fantasies paint them out to be—that is on you, not me; I will not have responsibility for your life when you choose to do everything in your power to throw it away!” And yet she had revived him; clearly there was a measure of guilt hidden beneath the surface, as Sekai had indeed proven how much she felt responsible for him. “I'm alive.” Another slap rang out. “Feel that? You're alive too. You're alive until you decide you no longer want to be—so hurry up and make up your mind; are you alive, or are you dead?”
The first slap would crack across the room like lightning, leaving a deep, red welt on the side of Baron's face, yet he hardly flinched. His eyes were as empty as they had been as a ghost, with no feeling in them. Silver had faded to a dull, unpolished gray, and the gaze that had been so full of life and enthusiasm through all the trials of the Juk Prison was now just... absent. He stared directly at Sekai, yet it was like he didn't see her at all. The second slap did no more to bring him back to reality, and even as she berated him, he began to walk away. Baron had nothing else to say, it seemed, as he headed for the room's exit.
Her question was pointless; was he alive or dead? He had already stated his feelings; at this point, he was the next closest thing to dead. His “friends” would betray him for the one who had sent him into a coma, and the one person he had felt closest too of all of the Freedom Fighters, the small Archer whom he had believed in wholly, had stabbed him in the back worst of all. No, Baron felt nothing as he made his way out of the room. He didn't even hear Sekai shouting after him as he departed, though absently he opened the party menu once more, and this time, he did disband himself from the party. The sense of everyone's presence was gone, and for the first time in a long time, Baron felt completely alone. He wasn't just alone in location, but completely and utterly devoid of the presence of others. It was kind of chilling, in its own way.
Baron, are you sure about this? If you leave, they may not take you back, and with it may go your last chance to get out of your coma.
I've already said I don't care. I'm the next closest thing to dead anyway, I might as well just find a place in the Delta server to hunker down and live out however much longer I have left. Higure said nothing, and Baron was left in silence as he made his way towards the entrance of the tower. From there, he easily jumped over to the Delta Server, making his way into Mac Anu. There was nothing more to be said.
(OOC: At this point Baron has officially left the thread.)
Character Information
Baron | Level 47 Twin Blade [100/1000 EXP] | 891 HP / 265 SP
Weapon: Fishskin
Armor: Emperor's Crown/Bone Armor/Thunder Gloves/Ninja Anklet
Accessories/Books: Ethereal Angel Wings, Silver Grunty
Skills: Thunder Coil, Gale of Swords
Spells: Merrows, GiRai Don, BiVak Rom, GiGan Zot, Rai Don, Ani Don, Duk Lei
GP: 750 (As of 8/2/15)
Wishlist: Nny Scales, Lucky Shoes, Saint Cross, Greave Sticker, Pet EX-Levels/Spheres(!)
Baron | Level 47 Twin Blade [100/1000 EXP] | 891 HP / 265 SP
Weapon: Fishskin
Armor: Emperor's Crown/Bone Armor/Thunder Gloves/Ninja Anklet
Accessories/Books: Ethereal Angel Wings, Silver Grunty
Skills: Thunder Coil, Gale of Swords
Spells: Merrows, GiRai Don, BiVak Rom, GiGan Zot, Rai Don, Ani Don, Duk Lei
GP: 750 (As of 8/2/15)
Wishlist: Nny Scales, Lucky Shoes, Saint Cross, Greave Sticker, Pet EX-Levels/Spheres(!)
Re: The Journey’s Next Step: Yamiyo In Chaos
Although difficult for the typically non-confrontational twin blade to do, she stood her ground keeping her stern look about her as Xenobia stood, healed Sekai and walked towards her. Inside Talal was shaking. The idea of being within physical touching distance of the Juk Elite was less than heart warming. She wanted to offer up a retort to the whole Admin versus Elite idea, not believing for a second that Admin's had more power and control over The World but, Xenobia wasn't appearing irritated yet either so best not to stir the pot and let her continue. The young dark haired woman was enjoying the insight of the brief history lesson having never quite understood where Nall had come from other than he was part of their group and looked up to by the ones that had been there longer. Never would she have guessed that he'd been an Elite that defected to the Freedom Fighters but rather just another player that got caught up in the mess and had gotten hit with a hard dose of Twilight that was killing him.
Moah got in his thoughts. She didn't know the player that well yet, in fact really not at all but he had an interesting way of looking at things. Canti piped in too once again and was being rather persistent in his approach to get Xenobia leaning towards using her spear on the other Elites. It took some doing but he finally got her to verbalize her partial agreement if certain terms were met. Those terms of course having to do with Baron and his actions and making sure they wouldn't happen again. All things considered, the Juk Elite had good reason and a good point but in all truth, the feeling of having to watch their back was being felt by everyone in the room. She didn't trust the Freedom Fighters anymore than they trusted her and that was unlikely to change.
Talal walked over towards Shadow and stood next to him, her hand instinctively reaching for the side of the large dog's head to give it a soft scratch. It helped her more than Shadow since she needed a physical outlet right now to ease the trembling she felt inside. However, when Baron started to push and threaten Talal began pulling up her inventory, unsure if she had any resurrects left. Her efforts in vain as someone beat her to it. The verbal assault between Archer and Twin Blade unfolded in a matter of seconds and before Talal could wrap her head around it all, Baron was gone. What the HELL just happened? she thought to herself. Did he just seriously quit? Is he gone for good? Her fellow clan member from the AOD who had been in The World about the same amount of time if not a little longer than she had...he was practically family for all intents and purposes. How could he just...leave? Brown eyes watched in disbelief and she quickly sent him a flashmail, even though she didn't really expect a reply. He may have disbanded himself from the party but she still had his message address.
Moah got in his thoughts. She didn't know the player that well yet, in fact really not at all but he had an interesting way of looking at things. Canti piped in too once again and was being rather persistent in his approach to get Xenobia leaning towards using her spear on the other Elites. It took some doing but he finally got her to verbalize her partial agreement if certain terms were met. Those terms of course having to do with Baron and his actions and making sure they wouldn't happen again. All things considered, the Juk Elite had good reason and a good point but in all truth, the feeling of having to watch their back was being felt by everyone in the room. She didn't trust the Freedom Fighters anymore than they trusted her and that was unlikely to change.
Talal walked over towards Shadow and stood next to him, her hand instinctively reaching for the side of the large dog's head to give it a soft scratch. It helped her more than Shadow since she needed a physical outlet right now to ease the trembling she felt inside. However, when Baron started to push and threaten Talal began pulling up her inventory, unsure if she had any resurrects left. Her efforts in vain as someone beat her to it. The verbal assault between Archer and Twin Blade unfolded in a matter of seconds and before Talal could wrap her head around it all, Baron was gone. What the HELL just happened? she thought to herself. Did he just seriously quit? Is he gone for good? Her fellow clan member from the AOD who had been in The World about the same amount of time if not a little longer than she had...he was practically family for all intents and purposes. How could he just...leave? Brown eyes watched in disbelief and she quickly sent him a flashmail, even though she didn't really expect a reply. He may have disbanded himself from the party but she still had his message address.
The female Twin Blade was torn and none too happy with how things had ended up. No one should be on their own especially right now but she was at a loss of how to help and it didn't help that part of her wanted to do the exact same thing he just did and walk away. Yet, someone had her loyalty even if they themselves weren't aware of it and she wasn't about to break that. So she continued to stand next to Shadow staring blankly at the group deep in thought.To: Baron
From: Talal
Subject: Don't go
For what it's worth...I understand and agreed with you about Xenobia. I wish you would stay with us. You're a target out there on your own. I know nothing I can say will change your mind but...just...be careful....okay?
Don't walk behind me; I may not lead. Don't walk in front of me; I may not follow. Walk beside me that we may be as one.
***************************************
Talal
![Image](http://i280.photobucket.com/albums/kk195/SemLovari/Talal/Talal.jpg)
Level 39 (0/1000 EXP) Twin Blade
Weapons/Armor: Mukuro (Swirling Dark, Dark Dance), Ice Hunter Cap (Repth), Wristbands (Juk Rom), Fishing Gloves (Rue Kruz), Wyrm Hide (Gan Don), Snow Panther (Ap Vorv)
Wish List: Scrolls, Tarot Cards, and Armor higher than level 30.
***************************************
Talal
![Image](http://i280.photobucket.com/albums/kk195/SemLovari/Talal/Talal.jpg)
Level 39 (0/1000 EXP) Twin Blade
Weapons/Armor: Mukuro (Swirling Dark, Dark Dance), Ice Hunter Cap (Repth), Wristbands (Juk Rom), Fishing Gloves (Rue Kruz), Wyrm Hide (Gan Don), Snow Panther (Ap Vorv)
Wish List: Scrolls, Tarot Cards, and Armor higher than level 30.
- Takua
- Ikkitousen
- Posts: 115
- Joined: Sat Dec 27, 2008 12:19 am
- Class: Wavemaster
- Location: Walking the line of madness
Re: The Journey’s Next Step: Yamiyo In Chaos
One failed Miu Lei, and one very dead Baron followed.
The progressing...discussion, if one wanted to call it that, was interesting. Not that Takua enjoyed watching Xenobia heal Sekai. The very action snarled at something inside of him, watching from every point of view he could to make sure the Elite wasn't doing something tricky. It might have been better to watch from Xenobia's, but he wasn't ready to try that. Somehow the last grain of common sense he had still hadn't left him. Plus, if the doctor over in Yamiyo had shielded himself, the odds were pretty fucking good that Xenobia would be an impossible case to crack.
Events happened in swift succession. Canti showed brains and a silver tongue, getting their foot in the door finally with Xenobia, and clearly demonstrating that Baron's mistake hadn't completely cost them. An interesting point of view from her too. As for Baron...
On one hand, Takua understood his anger. Understood the desire for revenge against the person who had trapped them in the game, who had wrought so much pain across The World. And on the other...
He saw someone who might make an ally instead of an enemy. Someone they might not have to fight, but rather use on their own side. Sure, she might just betray them at the end. If his paranoia had any basis in reality, he honestly thought it was rather probable. But even an enemy who could betray them at the end...well, there were only two ways to deal with that. Either you took care of them early on, when they were a known factor, or you prepared yourself for their betrayal later, knowing they would, not quite ever trusting them and trying to figure out when the knife would slide into your back. Until that time though she could be incredibly potent.
Maybe even the only reason they might get out of here at all. Their enemy was incredibly powerful. Enough that sometimes Takua wondered why they were even doing this, why they didn't just run away...
But that answer was simple for him. If he ran, all he was running to was an eventual death. He had to get back. Allying with the person who had trapped him in the game was a step he could take. The Highers might have been trying to become like the Elites...or perhaps present them with some kind of gift so that they could receive power. But they were, in some ways, worse than Elites themselves. Their desperation had made them far worse.
And to that end, Takua didn't agree with Baron. Pointless vengeance wouldn't get them anywhere, and if Xenobia really could help them get out of here, then he'd happily swallow that desire for revenge.
It was a good thing, though, that Baron hadn't made that threat about disbanding the party to him...
Takua would have taken it probably a little worse than Sekai, to be really honest. There was nothing quite like insulting the knowledge they'd had, that they could have been comatosed...and then to be angry and pissy as though they hadn't actually considered it an option. Of course it'd been an option. Hell, they could have all died for good in that hell hole. To back it up by threatening to kill himself for good, truly making himself into a murderer, wasn't going to go over well.
And as he stormed out of the room, the Wavemaster sighed. “Well fuck.” Rubbing his eyes, he shook his head and let the anger drain away from him as much as he could. Not that it really worked out too well. “Alright. I've no problems with what Canti's put down. Can anyone else who has a problem here please speak up, preferably without using magic, and we can try resolving this?” If only his Miu Lei had hit, there wouldn't have been a need to ghost him! But it was clear that ghosting him wasn't going to fix the issue...what Baron wanted was clearly absolutely antithetical to what the group had decided.
Hopefully there wasn't another person who wanted to stab the group in the back.
The progressing...discussion, if one wanted to call it that, was interesting. Not that Takua enjoyed watching Xenobia heal Sekai. The very action snarled at something inside of him, watching from every point of view he could to make sure the Elite wasn't doing something tricky. It might have been better to watch from Xenobia's, but he wasn't ready to try that. Somehow the last grain of common sense he had still hadn't left him. Plus, if the doctor over in Yamiyo had shielded himself, the odds were pretty fucking good that Xenobia would be an impossible case to crack.
Events happened in swift succession. Canti showed brains and a silver tongue, getting their foot in the door finally with Xenobia, and clearly demonstrating that Baron's mistake hadn't completely cost them. An interesting point of view from her too. As for Baron...
On one hand, Takua understood his anger. Understood the desire for revenge against the person who had trapped them in the game, who had wrought so much pain across The World. And on the other...
He saw someone who might make an ally instead of an enemy. Someone they might not have to fight, but rather use on their own side. Sure, she might just betray them at the end. If his paranoia had any basis in reality, he honestly thought it was rather probable. But even an enemy who could betray them at the end...well, there were only two ways to deal with that. Either you took care of them early on, when they were a known factor, or you prepared yourself for their betrayal later, knowing they would, not quite ever trusting them and trying to figure out when the knife would slide into your back. Until that time though she could be incredibly potent.
Maybe even the only reason they might get out of here at all. Their enemy was incredibly powerful. Enough that sometimes Takua wondered why they were even doing this, why they didn't just run away...
But that answer was simple for him. If he ran, all he was running to was an eventual death. He had to get back. Allying with the person who had trapped him in the game was a step he could take. The Highers might have been trying to become like the Elites...or perhaps present them with some kind of gift so that they could receive power. But they were, in some ways, worse than Elites themselves. Their desperation had made them far worse.
And to that end, Takua didn't agree with Baron. Pointless vengeance wouldn't get them anywhere, and if Xenobia really could help them get out of here, then he'd happily swallow that desire for revenge.
It was a good thing, though, that Baron hadn't made that threat about disbanding the party to him...
Takua would have taken it probably a little worse than Sekai, to be really honest. There was nothing quite like insulting the knowledge they'd had, that they could have been comatosed...and then to be angry and pissy as though they hadn't actually considered it an option. Of course it'd been an option. Hell, they could have all died for good in that hell hole. To back it up by threatening to kill himself for good, truly making himself into a murderer, wasn't going to go over well.
And as he stormed out of the room, the Wavemaster sighed. “Well fuck.” Rubbing his eyes, he shook his head and let the anger drain away from him as much as he could. Not that it really worked out too well. “Alright. I've no problems with what Canti's put down. Can anyone else who has a problem here please speak up, preferably without using magic, and we can try resolving this?” If only his Miu Lei had hit, there wouldn't have been a need to ghost him! But it was clear that ghosting him wasn't going to fix the issue...what Baron wanted was clearly absolutely antithetical to what the group had decided.
Hopefully there wasn't another person who wanted to stab the group in the back.
- Nighthand
- Master of Games
- Posts: 1265
- Joined: Mon Mar 31, 2003 9:23 pm
- Class: Bladesmage
- Location: ...Tracking...please wait...
Re: The Journey’s Next Step: Yamiyo In Chaos
With Baron storming off, the leadership exchanged glances. Demorian’s was questioning, as if to say, ‘want me to track him?’ Sheena’s was fed up; as far as she was concerned, the kid would probably die on the way back to the town, and good riddance. Nall’s was sympathetic, and he nodded slightly to Demorian. Nighthand’s was inscrutable; having one eye, which itself was black, didn’t lend itself to very expressive glances.
For his part, Demorian followed Baron towards the doorway after the twin blade had passed through. He dropped something small to the floor, which scurried quickly away.
When Demorian rejoined them, the four leaders conferred.
“This seems to have worked well enough.” Nall said. “She’ll be on our side for as long as we need her, and if she turns on us at the end, we should be able to deal with her.”
“Should.” Nighthand replied. “One of these days you’re going to have to fix yourself enough to use all that.” He tapped the heavy armor Nall wore, Jett’s Twilight Item.
“Hey! He’ll get there!” Sheena scolded.
“To add my opinion, I feel she’s actually quite trustworthy. At least, in my time as communications manager, I don’t think I ever caught wind of her betraying a deal she made.” Demorian spoke up.
“Then it’s decided.” He turned to Xenobia. “A deal it is. We’ll head back to the town and discuss our next move. Unfortunately, we have a bit of a time limit now.”
“I believe I can facilitate this.” Xenobia said. She gestured, and vines grew up in the center of the room, forming a circle in the air. They detached from the ground and faded, green to brown, then brown to gold. When the process was done, a gate activated, which allowed them all to port to one of the several districts of Yamiyo.
As one, the group gated out of Xenobia’s tower, and back into Yamiyo’s Elemental District.
For his part, Demorian followed Baron towards the doorway after the twin blade had passed through. He dropped something small to the floor, which scurried quickly away.
When Demorian rejoined them, the four leaders conferred.
“This seems to have worked well enough.” Nall said. “She’ll be on our side for as long as we need her, and if she turns on us at the end, we should be able to deal with her.”
“Should.” Nighthand replied. “One of these days you’re going to have to fix yourself enough to use all that.” He tapped the heavy armor Nall wore, Jett’s Twilight Item.
“Hey! He’ll get there!” Sheena scolded.
“To add my opinion, I feel she’s actually quite trustworthy. At least, in my time as communications manager, I don’t think I ever caught wind of her betraying a deal she made.” Demorian spoke up.
“Then it’s decided.” He turned to Xenobia. “A deal it is. We’ll head back to the town and discuss our next move. Unfortunately, we have a bit of a time limit now.”
“I believe I can facilitate this.” Xenobia said. She gestured, and vines grew up in the center of the room, forming a circle in the air. They detached from the ground and faded, green to brown, then brown to gold. When the process was done, a gate activated, which allowed them all to port to one of the several districts of Yamiyo.
As one, the group gated out of Xenobia’s tower, and back into Yamiyo’s Elemental District.
![Image](http://static.flickr.com/48/185807763_8ac187a5da_o.jpg)
Wishlist: Any Armor or Weapons under level 50, Any Scrolls (prefer level 2+)