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Re: Age of Arcana
Posted: Thu Apr 02, 2020 1:54 am
by Kotoru
☵ 37th of Frost, Year 119, Age of Steel ☵
"Common" ☵ "Synskrit Speech" ☵ Thoughts
☵ After all of that effort, it was all for nothing. How in the hell did she evade him, let alone that vortex by his summon? His energy was spent, and he was at the end of the line. He glared at the woman as she spoke. She was indeed powerful and he had done everything he could to kill her.
He saw the flowers wither and die as she crept closer to where he was, his body heavy from so much aether being lost. She kept going on and on about draw blood. "Dont you see that its nearly impossible for him to do so. You are powerful, but that doesn't mean you have to be a monster."
He hissed, still confused as to what she wanted. Draw Blood...Draw Blood... kept playing in the back of his mind. Drawing her blood was far from his reach, she knew that. What was he to do? His life hung in the balance of what he did next, he just didn't know what that was.
His head hung low for a moment, the faint sound of loud and heavy footsteps approaching. That must have meant they killed the first summon, and looking to the second, he wasn't about to let her kill another. Looking at the Wuld’vith, it spoke words only he could hear into his mind. "Oh, how the mighty fall," it said in a mocking tone.
With a sigh, he took the blade of his sword and sat it next to his throat. "Draw blood you say, whos blood? My blood, your blood, my summon's blood? If you want it then you will have to come and get it. If you wanted me dead, you would have killed me by now. Power may be yours, but the power over my life belongs to me, and I'd rather die by my own power than let some arrogant witch do it."
He was adamant in that statement, but he wasn't backing down. If she wanted his blood, then she'd have to come and take it by force herself. ☵
Re: Age of Arcana
Posted: Sat Apr 04, 2020 7:17 pm
by Paragon
“Arrogance? Is it arrogant for the lion to hunt the gazelle? Is it arrogant for the spider to suckle life from the flies in its web? I am no more arrogant than you are, stupid boy. You are simply accustomed to being the hunter not the hunted.” The woman folded her hands before her. The expression on her face was a calm one. If she took offense to Kotoru’s words she did not show it. The footsteps drew nearer.
“I gave you a simple request. You have failed. Now? You will die a failure.” The woman raised her hand. The world seemed to slow to a crawl. The air stood still. Ripples of power extended outward from her and for a moment, Kotoru could even see the threads of magic spiraling out from her hand. Like jagged arcane spikes designed to burrow into Kotoru’s flesh, they speared through the air toward him with a speed that was alarming. There was nowhere for him to run. There was nowhere for him to hide. It seemed...this was where Kotoru Hattori would die.
Until the spikes of power slammed into an unshakable barrier that erected itself around him. A flare of blue arcane energy formed a bubble around Kotoru and the woman let out a hiss.
“Not today, witch!” The woman bared her teeth as, on the upper branches of some of the trees, armored warriors appeared. Each of them dressed in leather armor and wearing cloaks of differing color. Two bearing red cloaks. Two bearing a white cloak. Then from the shadows emerged a plate armored man wearing a black cloak. He glared at the woman in front of them, surrounded.
“You have defied the Order for the last time.” The woman scoffed.
“I will not be told such nonsense by you, worm! The Order can hang! It should have died along with the rest of those fools all those years ago!” She raised her hands and a blast of force groaned outward from her. The black cloaked man raised his hands along with the other cloaked soldiers. Barriers of power sprung to life around them. The force of the blast was absorbed by their shields but the effort it seemed still caused some strain. The black cloaked man stepped forward. Into his hand appeared a shimmering sword that seemed draped in velvet shadows. He grit his teeth and sprinted forward, keeping his arcane shield raised as he charged her. With a fierce cry he swung his blade only for it to slice through naught but air.
The witch’s laughter echoed in the woods. The dark armored hunter stood tall, shield and sword still at the ready. He glared into the forest.
“Coward!” There was no answer. From their place on the branches, the other soldiers dropped from the branches, one of them a bit unsteady. The dark armored man conversed with each of them for a moment before turning to Kotoru.
“Are you alright?”
Re: Age of Arcana
Posted: Sat Apr 04, 2020 9:58 pm
by Kotoru
☵ 37th of Frost, Year 119, Age of Steel ☵
"Common" ☵ "Synskrit Speech" ☵ Thoughts
☵ He was ready to die, at least that's what he believed. He hesitated, he choked when it really came down to it. Even after all that bark, he didnt want to go out like this, even if it was at his own hands.
He saw it coming, he could feel the power she commanded, tangibly taste it even. It was over for him. He did give himself some credit in these final moments, he never closed his eyes, he wanted to face death. To his surprise, however, death never came. He watched, with wide and shocked eyes as the blast of death never made contact.
He jumped from being startled, another unfamiliar voice echoing in the distance. He watched as a figure in black armor walked past him, watching as her attacks hit invisible walls. A sword of light just manifesting from thin air. He was amazed, smirking at seeing her frustrated, at least that what it looks like in his eyes.
Whoever this man was, it was obvious she knew him, and he knew her. They went back and forth about this "order" and the wheels began to turn in his mind. Could this order be the Scholia Arcana? Could these be their mages? What the hell was going on?
He watched as the two clashed, only for the man to receive the same result as he was getting. She was gone and with her his pride as a warrior. He couldnt believe this had happened, that his life was this close to ending. He found himself collapsing to his knees after everything he had done, the aether he had expended in order to fight her.
He watched as the Wuld'vith gave him an odd and interesting look, before fading back from whence it came. In those moments, he contemplated his whole life, his motives, but her voice, her words echoed in his head. Her laughter, the smugness in her tone just irritated him more.
The man that saved him approached, asking him if he was alright, to which Kotoru chuckled. "Nothing some rest can't fix, though I don't believe my pride will ever recover." he joked with a shaky laugh, though he knew there wouldn't be any fixing that.
"Who was that woman?" he questioned, an intense but struggling glare shooting to the man. ☵
Re: Age of Arcana
Posted: Sun Apr 05, 2020 4:34 pm
by Paragon
The dark cloaked man made a non-committal noise as he observed Kotoru carefully. He was a middle-aged human with dark brown hair that was greying in some places. A well trimmed beard covered his jaw. His sharp green eyes took in the form of the Kalzasi nobleman without comment before he turned back to his compatriots and began giving orders.
“You two, dispose of her minions. What’s left of them should be scattered around not far from here. Be on your guard. She might appear gone but I doubt she has truly left just yet.” He eyed Kotoru briefly. “I will return this one to his home. The rest of you continue the hunt. We will rendezvous in the normal fashion.”
With that, the others saluted him in acknowledgement before each of them began darting off deeper into the woods. Almost as soon as they were out of sight, they vanished entirely, the group leaving as quietly as it came. The dark cloaked man turned to face Kotoru fully. He extended a hand to the young man.
“We shouldn’t linger. You’re lucky to be alive. Fortunately for you, outright slaughter is seldom her tactic.” He helped Kotoru to his feet then began walking in the direction of the city.
“To answer your earlier question, she is our quarry. We are her hunters. That is all you need to know. I suggest you do your best to wipe her from your mind. She’s likely forgotten you even exist by now, especially now that she knows we’re here.” With those words spoken he marched onward in silence, his eyes remained trained on their surroundings. After a short distance of walking away from the site of Kotoru’s battle, the dark cloaked man spoke once more.
“Did she say what she wanted from you?” He seemed to be listening in for Kotoru’s response with keen interest. Whoever this man was, it was obvious he had a great deal of familiarity with the witch who had assaulted the young Kalzasi nobleman.
Re: Age of Arcana
Posted: Sun Apr 05, 2020 5:48 pm
by Kotoru
☵ 37th of Frost, Year 119, Age of Steel ☵
"Common" ☵ "Synskrit Speech" ☵ Thoughts
☵ His head hung low, staring at his feet as he fought back the tears welling up in his eyes. What was he going to say to his family about this, let alone his father? That was not a conversation he wished to have. He would never live this down, not till he was able to find her and kill her, whoever she was.
He could hear the man giving out orders to his subordinates, and like the wind, they vanished into the forest within a matter of moments. Kotoru too the hand extended to him, finding the strength to stand. He chuckled at the thought that slaughter was not her usual motive.
"She was toying with me, testing me like a cat with a mouse. She could have killed me at any moment but didn't." he agreed, never really making eye contact with his rescuer as they ventured home. He doubted he'd be able to look anyone in their eyes for a while after this.
Right now all he wanted was a stiff drink and a warm body to be under to take his mind off of this situation, but he knew it wouldn't help. It was still fresh in his mind, the humiliation, the despair he felt, and there was no easy way to shake that from his soul right now.
When the man told him to forget about her, Kotoru couldn't control his reaction at that moment. "There's no way I can forget or forgive that hag for what she did to me! She an enemy of the Hattori Clan, but most of all she just created the means to her demise, I WILL kill one way or another!" she shouted, clenching his fist tightly, his nails digging in his palms causing them to bleed.
His next question caused Koto to hiss a bit, his fingers running along with the cut on his cheek from her needle, and the cut he was going to make on his throat before they showed up. "She kept going on about drawing blood. that along with how powerful she was and how ambitious and stupid I was." he divulged, only to step in front of the man, his hand gripping the chest plate as tight as he could.
The tears he was fighting back could no longer be contained, his gaze burning into the man as he spoke. "It's clear to me you know her, and she knows you. You said you are her hunters, and this Order you both went on about. Tell me, are you from the Scholia Arcana?" he began, doing his best to contain his anger and frustration while articulating his words.
"If so I wish to join, I have to join. I need the power necessary to stop her, to make sure other mages like myself, nobility or peasant, from her sickening grasp. It's my duty as a nobleman of Kalzasi to protect its people from this vile witch and her machinations. And this not a request." Despite the delivery of his words one would see the determination in his eyes.
"My pride as a mage has been challenged." ☵
Re: Age of Arcana
Posted: Sun Apr 05, 2020 6:21 pm
by Paragon
"I see…" The man didn't seem at all surprised that she had toyed with Kotoru. There was a hard edge to his words. His mouth turned down in a frown. When Kotoru stopped them both and allowed his emotions to overcome him, the man narrowed his eyes. He listened in silence as the young nobleman vowed revenge. When Kotoru was finished, the man reached up a gloved hand and removed Kotoru's hand from his breastplate.
"You are not the first to seek vengeance on Evangeliza Le'Graine. You will not be the last. The Ancient of Boundless Flesh has made many enemies over the centuries. She has made just as many allies. But such is the nature of a High Priestess of The Spider Most Elegant." The man leaned toward Kotoru. He seemed to peer deep into the fabric of the young man's being. There was silence between them followed by a warning.
"I am an Oathkeeper of the Arcana. I am a soldier of the Order. My mission is to enact the Order's justice upon her without mercy. For the oath she betrayed." He brushed past Kotoru.
"You wish to join the Scholia Arcana? If you think yourself ready, lose yourself in the Wildking's Forge and be found by the Tower of Lore. Perhaps, if you're worthy, the Archsage will see fit to let you walk the Tower's grounds before something kills you." He shrugged and kept walking toward Kalzasi. He called over his shoulder.
"But if you have fear and doubt in your heart know this: the Test of the Tower will be your demise. So choose wisely, young mageling." The man came to a stop. He turned on his heel and rest a hand on his hip. Those green eyes studied Kotoru with neither pity not contempt but merely idle curiosity.
"Come with me, go home, lick your wounds and learn from this encounter or…" He shrugged his shoulders then gestured to the forest. "...trust your fate to Vicis."
Re: Age of Arcana
Posted: Sun Apr 05, 2020 7:31 pm
by Kotoru
☵ 37th of Frost, Year 119, Age of Steel ☵
"Common" ☵ "Synskrit Speech" ☵ Thoughts
☵ His response gave Kotoru a glimmer of hope, a spark if you will. The young nobleman lowered is gaze as h listened to the man talk, even after he moved past him. It not like he said his thirst for revenge was unwarranted, though he felt like he'd never get the opportunity to show her just how wrong she was.
"Evangeliza Le'Graine" he whispered, etching that name into his very being, locking it into his soul. He would do all he could to find her again, and kill her. He owed her that much.
The man continued to reveal he was from the Scholia Arcana, an...oathkeeper he said. Whoever she was this man was her executioner. His words stung a bit but the young noble knew everything he said was true. There really wasn't anything he could do in his current condition.
As much as he didn't want to, he had no choice but to return home and heal. Turning he began to follow the gentleman again until he stopped and spoke some more. He gave Koto the key to his next chapter in life. Kotoru would definitely see out this Tower of Lore. He would do what he must in order to gain entry, no matter the cost.
Hearing the man warning he scoffed, venturing forward. He was never truly a religious man, though he did believe in the Dragon Gods. He didn't really have a reason to be, until now. If it was in Vicis' hands, then he would believe the god would allow him to meet that vile woman again when he was ready.
For now, he would return home as suggested, lick his wounds, and etch this experience into his mind never forgetting what was done this day to him. "Thank you....thank you for saving me by the way. Had it not been for you and your subordinates, I'd surely be dead," he whispered.☵
Re: Age of Arcana
Posted: Thu Apr 16, 2020 11:10 pm
by Paragon
“I didn’t save you. One of my white cloaked compatriots did. I thought you would have made an adequate distraction that would have allowed us to detain her once and for all.” The dark cloaked man’s voice wasn’t haughty or dismissive. He spoke as though he were merely stating facts that could be perused in a textbook. Callous though his words were, he was unapologetic of them it seemed.
“I will see you to the edge of the city outskirts. After that, you are on your own.” With that, he continued to walk with Kotoru, never slowing his pace and always on the lookout for dangers. Eventually they came to the edge of Kalzasi proper. The spires and streets of the city were gilded in twilight making it appear as though the buildings were encrusted with jewels.
“This is where we part ways, young Lord. Before we do? A word of caution to you.” He turned and regarded Kotoru with razor sharp intelligent eyes. “The Test of Arcana is brutal. It is not a matter of pass or fail. You either succeed and live or you fail and die. Arm yourself well before you think to be found by the Tower of Lore. The Tower welcomes many…not all of them are worthy.”
With that, the man turned on his heel and began walking away in a different direction toward the innards of the city. Whatever business he had, was certainly pressing on his mind. Such was the life of an Oathkeeper it seemed.
As Kotoru turned to face the city, on the edge of the wilderness something golden glinted in the sunlight as it fell beneath the horizon.
A pair of yellow-gold eyes twinkled in the darkness of the trees and was then gone.
Thread Rewards
Name: Kotoru
XP: 10/10
Magic? Yes. Can be used for Summoning if you so choose.
Lore
Blades{Tachi}: Aiming for vital points when attacking
Blades{Tachi}: Stab & Slash
Blades{Tachi}: Trusting when unable to slash
Blades{Tachi}: Follow through with each swing
Leadership: Giving orders to your Summons
Tactics: Planning Ambushes
Summoning: The Wuld'vith
Summoning: Summoning more than one Archetype
Acrobatics: Leaping from Trees
Running: Dashing toward your enemy