MASKTOURN

On the western edge of the citadel, close to the city outskirts, sits the arena. It's a formidable half-dome of a structure, and even it has not escaped the ruin that's rotting this city alive. When it isn't being used for fights, the arena is a sandy, unimpressive pit. Benches surround the arena on all sides, and every seat offers a great view of the specatcle of brutality to await. Curiously, the great structure is mostly unadorned- no reliefs or statues, or even paintings or mosaics, can be found here. Weapons and simple exercise materials can be found nearby for training.

(edited)

Kairas brought Ace out to the arena, picking up a longbow and quiver for her own use at the armory first. "We can set up some targets. So we don't have to shoot each other." She hummed as she surveyed the vast, sandy expanse. @Kip | Ace 🏹 / Ellie 📷

"Yes, that would be for the best," Ace agrees, looking around their surroundings. So this was the arena they'd be fighting in? It didn't look...all too impressive, compared to the rest of the Halcyon Citadel. Just sandy. Very sandy. It was going to get everywhere. After a moment of looking over the presented weaponry, they pick up a simple recurve bow and quiver for their warm ups. They'd use their own bow once they got situated. "Are those the materials for the targets?" @innsjo | kyrie🪶+ darcy🖋+npcs

Kairas glanced over to some simple, hay-stuffed dummy targets. "Ah, yes." She affixed her bow to her back, between her wings, and picked one up, bringing it out into the field and expecting Ace to follow suit. @Kip | Ace 🏹 / Ellie 📷

Ace takes a moment to adjust their quiver and bow and follows after Kairas shortly after with a dummy target of their own. Is it strange that they feel nervous? Perhaps not, but still. @innsjo | kyrie🪶+ darcy🖋+npcs

Once they had organized a good row of targets together, Kairas stepped back to inspect their work. "Good. This should suffice." She stepped out of range of the targets, to a spot better for archery. "You can go first." @Kip | Ace 🏹 / Ellie 📷

Kip | Ace 🏹 / Ellie 📷

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# 2
Details:[d20-1 (3)]

If i could strangle One Jason Lao

If there was one thing they wanted to do before this bloodshed started, it'd be to take a very long nap. One that they'd hopefully wake from. "Thank you," Ace says, removing his bow from where it's situated. All things considered, it's not too bad of a target. Sturdy, stands well on it's own, not too heavy or too light. Simple, but not poor. Staring down the target, Ace raises their bow, drawing an arrow from their quiver. They pull their arm back, the wood creaking as it bends with the string. It's unfamiliar, but familiar all the same. The string is plain, not yet imbued with Mend, and the fletching of the arow glances across their chin. When they fire, their miss, and their arrow hits the sand a ways off from their target. "Damn." @innsjo | kyrie🪶+ darcy🖋+npcs

Kairas watched Ace carefully, measuring each movement of his form. When he misses, she shows her disapproval only with a mild "Hmph." @Kip | Ace 🏹 / Ellie 📷

Ace lowers their bow, turning to Kairas after that honestly terrible shot. "Your turn," he simply says, stepping back again. Missing is a key aspect in archery. One is not expected to land all of their shots, or even 99% of their shots. Missing is crucial. Their grip on their bow tightens a tenth of an inch. @innsjo | kyrie🪶+ darcy🖋+npcs

innsjo | kyrie🪶+ darcy🖋+npcs

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# 15
Details:[d20+4 (11)]

(good god)

Kairas readies her longbow with an unsteadiness one would expect from someone used to wielding a very different weapon. Still, she pulls the arrow back and holds it taught for a second before releasing. Her arrow lands a few inches from the bullseye. She doesn't smile in victory, she only sighs. @Kip | Ace 🏹 / Ellie 📷

Ah. "That was a nice shot," Ace says, looking to where the arrow landed. She didn't seem all too happy about it. [Was that because she was...unhappy, or just didn't smile.] @innsjo | kyrie🪶+ darcy🖋+npcs

"Thank you." Kairas hummed. She stepped back to give Ace more space. "Your turn again." @Kip | Ace 🏹 / Ellie 📷

Kip | Ace 🏹 / Ellie 📷

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# 19
Details:[d20-1 (20)]

(HOMIE ???)

(wooo!!!)

Ace draws their bow again, aiming just as they had before. They wait until the strain begins to build up in their arm, eyes narrowed as they squint at the target. Aim better. Fire better. They release their arrow, and it lands right on the edge of the bullseye- not within either ring, just precisely on the edge of the x-ring. "...That's new," he hums, lowering his bow again. Not bad. @innsjo | kyrie🪶+ darcy🖋+npcs

"Hm. Good work." Kairas complimented. It was said in the same dry tone she said everything, but Ace would get the sense it meant a lot, coming from her. She really was impressed, even if she didn't show it. @Kip | Ace 🏹 / Ellie 📷

"Thank you," Ace responds, stepping back with a small cough. They cover their mouth with to hide the growing smile on their face, peering back up at Kairas to watch her take her next shot. He wasn't a kid anymore. He didn't have that same obsessive relationship with praise. But did it feel good? Absolutely. Yes. Hell yeah, it did. @innsjo | kyrie🪶+ darcy🖋+npcs

innsjo | kyrie🪶+ darcy🖋+npcs

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# 11
Details:[d20+4 (7)]

Kairas nodded, and lined up her next shot. Her arrow landed within the outer rings of the target. "Hmph." Kairas muttered, with the same disapproval she had shown Ace's first shot. @Kip | Ace 🏹 / Ellie 📷

It wasn't a bad shot- really, it wasn't. Still standing a bit aways from Kairas, they tilt their head slightly to the side. It certainly wasn't as bad as their first shot. Against their better judgement, they speak up. "Ah, Kairas, it wasn't a poor shot. Khm." @innsjo | kyrie🪶+ darcy🖋+npcs

Kairas glanced to Ace, though her expression was hidden by her mask. "... Thank you." She said, with some hesitance. "It's your turn again." @Kip | Ace 🏹 / Ellie 📷

Kip | Ace 🏹 / Ellie 📷

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# 17
Details:[d20+5 (12)]

Yes, the mask. The mask he should be wearing. The mask the letter said to wear. The mask that was sitting in his robe. Nonetheless, Ace nods, drawing their bow as they take their place. However, as they pull their arm back, the string begins to glow a brilliant golden hue- a shade similar their now glowing eyes. Only the string is glowing, though- the arrow and bow remain the same as it was before. Mend, repair, ~~heal~~, string, fire. Ace exhales sharply as they release, the arrow streaking through the air. It lands an inch or so closer to the center compared to Kairas' first shot. @innsjo | kyrie🪶+ darcy🖋+npcs

"Hm. Good job." Kairas commented. She'd watched intently as Ace demonstrated his powers, but didn't comment on any of it. Still, she was very clearly interested. @Kip | Ace 🏹 / Ellie 📷

He shakes his hand free of the lingering magic, not quite blinking that golden hue from his eyes. "Ah, thank you," he says, adjusting his glasses once the bits of mana have dissipated. That wasn't too bad; both the shot and their magic. @innsjo | kyrie🪶+ darcy🖋+npcs

innsjo | kyrie🪶+ darcy🖋+npcs

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# 14
Details:[d20+4 (10)]

Kairas nodded, and lined up her next shot. Despite her lack of fancy glowy tricks, it was still mildly impressive. Her arrow landed just a bit further than her first shot. @Kip | Ace 🏹 / Ellie 📷

At least she didn't seem too displeased this time. Ace hums, nodding a bit as she steps back. "Earlier, you said you're partial to archery," he says, "is it the one you're most comfortable with?" @innsjo | kyrie🪶+ darcy🖋+npcs (edited)

Kairas paused a bit at the question. "I... think so." She admitted. "Though... it often doesn't feel... right." She shifted the longbow in her hands, but couldn't find a resting position that seemed right. @Kip | Ace 🏹 / Ellie 📷

"...Hm." They're silent, tugging slightly on the string of their bow as they curiously watch Kairas shift her longbow. Longbows were a bit difficult to master- there was a reason he preferred using recurve bows instead. "...If you'd like, I could give you a few pointers to adjust your hold," they offer. "Only if you'd like, that is." @innsjo | kyrie🪶+ darcy🖋+npcs (edited)

Kairas bristled uncomfortably. "I don't need your help." @Kip | Ace 🏹 / Ellie 📷

Kip | Ace 🏹 / Ellie 📷

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# 23
Details:[d20+5 (18)]

"Of course. No worries." Stepping forward just the slightest, Ace draws and fires their bow in one swift and sharp motion. Thunk. The arrow hits center, and the string is left thrumming with a bright yellow hue again. [Was that too much this time? It didn't even build properly.] "It's your turn." @innsjo | kyrie🪶+ darcy🖋+npcs

innsjo | kyrie🪶+ darcy🖋+npcs

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# 20
Details:[d20+4 (16)]

Kairas doesn't wait a second before aiming her next shot. It hits the center of the target, and she steps back, proud of herself but barely showing it. "Hm." @Kip | Ace 🏹 / Ellie 📷

Kip | Ace 🏹 / Ellie 📷

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# 15
Details:[d20+5 (10)]

Ace can faintly taste saltwater when he takes his next shot. It's not great, but it's not poor, either. Middle of the pack. [She's still very skilled with the longbow, though.] @innsjo | kyrie🪶+ darcy🖋+npcs

innsjo | kyrie🪶+ darcy🖋+npcs

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# 11
Details:[d20+4 (7)]

Kairas steps back to take her next shot, and it lands on the very outer edge of the target. "Hm. Could be better." She muttered. @Kip | Ace 🏹 / Ellie 📷

Kip | Ace 🏹 / Ellie 📷

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# 16
Details:[d20+5 (11)]

"Could be worse," Ace says, eyeing his first shot with a squint. Could be in the sand. His next shot is only slightly better than the last. Lavender lingers on the back of their tongue. @innsjo | kyrie🪶+ darcy🖋+npcs

innsjo | kyrie🪶+ darcy🖋+npcs

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# 16
Details:[d20+4 (12)]

"True." Kairas hummed. Her next shot lands the same distance from the center as Ace's, and she seems somewhat pleased about it. At least, she isn't being shown up. @Kip | Ace 🏹 / Ellie 📷

Kip | Ace 🏹 / Ellie 📷

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# 10
Details:[d20+5 (5)]

The arrow sticks it right at the edge of the target, similar to Kairas shot from before. Despite the wide range of shots he's been making, it's still nice to get a bit of practice in before...ah, everything. [And it's nice not to have to focus on anything else, either.] @innsjo | kyrie🪶+ darcy🖋+npcs

innsjo | kyrie🪶+ darcy🖋+npcs

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# 6
Details:[d20+4 (2)]

Kairas also seems grateful for the opportunity to train, though her next shot misses completely. No disappointment is shown on her face, but she steps aside to give Ace his turn without word. @Kip | Ace 🏹 / Ellie 📷

Kip | Ace 🏹 / Ellie 📷

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# 15
Details:[d20+5 (10)]

An average shot- this time, it lands only a ways off from the bullseye. Ace hums slightly, rolling their shoulders back as they allow Kairas to take her next shot. A golden liquid begins to form at the corner of his mouth. It's faint. @innsjo | kyrie🪶+ darcy🖋+npcs

innsjo | kyrie🪶+ darcy🖋+npcs

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# 18
Details:[d20+4 (14)]

Kairas took note of the liquid seeping out of Ace's mouth, but didn't say anything- yet. Her next shot landed pretty close to the center of the target, which she hummed appreciatively about. @Kip | Ace 🏹 / Ellie 📷

Kip | Ace 🏹 / Ellie 📷

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# 13
Details:[d20+5 (8)]

Ace doesn't seem to notice the mystery gold liquid, already focused on their next shot. It lands an inch or so away from their last, a bit further than they would have wanted. Not too poor, though. @innsjo | kyrie🪶+ darcy🖋+npcs

innsjo | kyrie🪶+ darcy🖋+npcs

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# 19
Details:[d20+4 (15)]

Kairas's next shot lands so-close to the center of the target. She glanced toward Ace- "You have something, on your lip." @Kip | Ace 🏹 / Ellie 📷

Kip | Ace 🏹 / Ellie 📷

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# 24
Details:[d20+5 (19)]

(Be. Normal)

That buzzing feeling is back. Ace raises their bow as Kairas' finishes taking her shot, focused intensely on the target as they feel around for another arrow in their quiver. [How many points was that? About 50/90, give or take. It was fine- not fine enough for them, but fine enough as it is.] Kairas speaks, and they glance over at her without fully turning their head. "Hm?" he asks, nocking their arrow. Lip. Bravo. Excellent. "Ah." Pull the golden string taut, wait until it begins to sting against your fingers, wait until your arm begins to burn with strain. They release, and thunk, goes their arrow, landing center again. It sits nestled against their first bullseye, surprisingly enough. Though, it would have been- as Nathan would have called it -'pretty fuckin' sick' if he pierced it. With an exhale, Ace lowers their recurve bow, shaking their hand free of the remaining mana again. As they breathe, golden blood drips into the sand beneath them. [It tastes very strongly of saltwater and lavender now.] "Ah, um." This is normal, it happens, it's usually worse, this isn't too bad- "Thank you. I, ah. Didn't notice before." @innsjo | kyrie🪶+ darcy🖋+npcs (edited)

"Hm. Nice shot." Kairas hummed. If she had any thoughts about the blood dripping from Ace's mouth, she didn't voice them. She simply... observed him for a moment. @Kip | Ace 🏹 / Ellie 📷

Ace removes their glasses as they pinch the bridge of their nose, their mouth perpetually dripping. "Mm, thank you." It hasn't done this for a good while, seeing as they had no real use to use their magic this much. They look fine, all things considered. Just a bit sore. A headache seems to be rising. Putting the glasses back on doesn't exactly make a difference. Not too keen about getting their robe dirtied up, Ace wipes at the corner of their mouth with the back of their hand. It continues to drip. After a moment or so, they look back at Kairas, gesturing at the target dummy with their non-bloodied hand. "You can, ah. Continue, if you want," they say, looking around for something to clean up with. "I think I'm done training for now." @innsjo | kyrie🪶+ darcy🖋+npcs

"I was just about done, anyways." Kairas hummed. "Do you need healing? I can get the Lifebringer." @Kip | Ace 🏹 / Ellie 📷

They could heal themself on their own. If they had their proper Mending abilities. "Ah, no. It's alright," Ace reassures, sliding their recurve bow over their shoulder. "It's just a result of using my magic, it's nothing that can be properly healed away. I've, ah. Tried." (edited)

5:38 PM

@innsjo | kyrie🪶+ darcy🖋+npcs

"Mhm. Alright. If you change your mind, you can contact me through the tablets." Kairas moved to put her bow away in the armory. "I'll clean up here. I'll be seeing you." @Kip | Ace 🏹 / Ellie 📷

Ace sets his own bow and mostly-empty quiver away in the armory as well, nodding slightly. "I'll keep that in mind, yes. Thank you for your time, and ah. I'll be seeing you around as well." They linger for a moment more to look at the arrow-filled straw dummies and take their leave. @innsjo | kyrie🪶+ darcy🖋+npcs

While Ellie had wandered off to stretch in the fields and visit it's goat friend, Ace had decided to head off to the arena to practice again. He...should have been looking for Gale instead, but that was neither here nor there and he didn't bump into her on the way to train. It must have been an sign to fixate on archery instead of doing other things- like talking to people. That usually worked. Ace drew back the string of one of the training bows slightly, humming with content as it remained silent. Not too noisy. Good. It should do the trick for now, until they decided to switch to their regular bow. @Mads | Roman 🥁 Asha 🎆 ? 🪱

Ace would feel his arm pull to the side slightly, before the feeling vanished. Huh, weird... "Whatcha doin?" Roman called out as he entered the arena. @Kip | Ace 🏹 / Ellie 📷

Ace faltered for a moment before they blinked, peering down at their arm. Huh. Weird. At the voice, Ace turned, setting their bow down against the rack. "Ah. Roman. I was just about to do a bit of training. You're welcome to join me if you wish- ah." Mm. Roman looked...vastly different from how he last remembered him to be. Aside from the general outfit change, of course. From where Ace stood, there was only one other noticeable thing that stood out to them. "Has your hair changed?" @Mads | Roman 🥁 Asha 🎆 ? 🪱

"Oh, just a bit.." Roman smiled and ran his wrapped hand through the hair. It honestly did look pretty nice, strong and healthy and bouncy. "Naiyta said it thinks I look better going natural. So of course, I obliged." @Kip | Ace 🏹 / Ellie 📷

Naiyta. How... interesting. If Ace had any displeasure about this, they didn't show it. At least, not outwardly. "I see," they hummed. "Well, your natural hair does look nice." Words. "I could see why you'd want to keep it like this." @Mads | Roman 🥁 Asha 🎆 ? 🪱

"Mm, thank you." He smiled and stepped up closer to Ace. "And just a warning, if you damage these clothes at all, Naiyta will have your head. Figured I'd warn you ahead of time." @Kip | Ace 🏹 / Ellie 📷

"...Mhm." Right. Unnerving. "I certainly didn't plan on it after hearing you had Naitya's favor. It'd be stupid to try and attract the ire of one of our hosts." Right, his clothing. It was much different from the regular contestants' clothing- was he actually brought here to compete (well- be sacrificed), or to serve like he said he was? "I assume you won't be training then," they said, gesturing at the rack of weaponry. "Since you'd rather not have your clothes damaged." @Mads | Roman 🥁 Asha 🎆 ? 🪱

"Oh, I don't need to train with real weapons when I have you here." Roman smiled and held his hands out. With some effort from Roman, Ace would lose feeling across his body, and his pupils would turn white (unseen to him of course) to match Roman's. Ace turned robotically back toward the training bow and picked it up. He raised it up in much the same fashion and pulled back the line before knocking the arrow. Roman closed one eye and closed one hand to mimic Ace (or more likely, Ace was mimicking him). Roman hummed before opening up his fist, and Ace shot off the arrow. It stuck in one of the outer rings of the board. "Hah, not too bad! I've never used a bow before." Roman smiled and released his hold over Ace. @Kip | Ace 🏹 / Ellie 📷

Ace cocked his head to the side, an eyebrow raised in question at Roman's...very normal statement to make. "...So, right, what does that mea- n." Ha. What the hell. The first sign that things were wrong was that all feeling had suddenly drained away- and the second, was that it was replaced by that sudden, awful not-feeling in the pit of their stomach. Fear? Panic? What was happening to him. They watched (watched?) as they began to move with motions that were not their own, in a body that was fully their own. They watched as they picked up the bow with sharp, robotic-like movements, and felt nothing. They watched as they (Roman?) drew back the string and again, felt nothing. (He was younger then. Stupider. Thought interning at Borg Industries was a great way to kickstart your career. Y'know. Borg-fuckin'-Industries? God, he was younger then. Funnier, too. Ha. He made the red ninja laugh and just- just passed out. And even after that, all he felt was-) Numb. Yes, that was the word. He felt numb. As soon as they felt the grain of wood against their palm and the wind against their cheek, Ace (Ace, the real one, him, himself,) gasped. He dropped the bow as he staggered back. Fuck. Oh. That was awful. "Fucking hell," he hissed, clutching a bit at their chest. Their hands were shaking. Why were they shaking. "What- you- what did you. Do." @Mads | Roman 🥁 Asha 🎆 ? 🪱 (edited)

Roman really hadn't been taking it all too seriously, but he became visibly uncomfortable as Ace regained his feeling and began to panic. He cleared his throat and crossed his arms over his chest. "Oh I was just- messing around with my blood powers. Sorry, I didn't know it would freak you out so much." Roman apologized. "I figured I'd show you a way we can spar without me getting dirty." @Kip | Ace 🏹 / Ellie 📷

Ace was now hunched over as Roman spoke, breathing shallow little breaths as they tried to get rid of that nauseating feeling. "Hh," he groaned, just barely registering what he was saying. Blood powers. Sparring. (Cool metal, fog, and the clawing feeling of death.) "I- I see," they slowly said, their breathing slowly starting to even out. Ace forced himself to stand fully, rubbing the corner of their eye with a wince. "We- we don't...need to spar. Just- just don't do that again. Please." His hands were still shaking, though they weren't as bad as they were before. @Mads | Roman 🥁 Asha 🎆 ? 🪱

"I can um- make you feel better. But that would mean controlling you again so-.." Probably best to just give that up there. "I won't do it again." He moved his hands behind his back and sat on a nearby bench. "Were you just working on your aim before?" @Kip | Ace 🏹 / Ellie 📷

"...I. Thank you, but I would much rather not," they said, a little quieter than before. It was actually a bit embarrassing how quick they fell apart. "Ah, you- You had no way of knowing, so I won't hold it against you." Ace retrieved their bow after a moment, lingering on the feeling of the wood before they began to gather a few more arrows. "I was, yes. I like to work on my aim whenever I get the chance." @Mads | Roman 🥁 Asha 🎆 ? 🪱

For most people, it should have been common sense that it's not a good idea to control random people.. But to Roman, that was just kind of an average day to him. .. He actually missed how Roque would control him, the way he entirely let go of himself and she could use him as an extension of herself.. He found that enjoyable. But Ace was not him, so he should have known better. "Was using a bow your choice? They're cool, but I think they got kind of outranked by guns." @Kip | Ace 🏹 / Ellie 📷

Kip | Ace 🏹 / Ellie 📷

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# 2
Details:[d20 (2)]

Ace hummed at the question, looking at Roman with mild amusement. "Mhm, they certainly don't compare to guns- though, I don't think teaching a six-year-old to use a gun would have been...a very clever idea, so bows is was," they explained, nocking an arrow. "But I, ah. Liked archery more, anyhow. I always liked watching my brothers practice as I sat on the sidelines," they said, turning their attention back to the arena. They raised their bow, arm drawn back as they aimed straight ahead. "Luckily, they wanted to teach me when I asked." The waver in their hands was enough to send the arrow soaring off past their intended target- the one with an arrow stuck in the side of it. "Sst." @Mads | Roman 🥁 Asha 🎆 ? 🪱 (edited)

"I don't think letting a six year old use a bow is much safer than a gun.." Roman said. "Oh, so it was just a family thing?" @Kip | Ace 🏹 / Ellie 📷

Kip | Ace 🏹 / Ellie 📷

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# 12
Details:[d20 (12)]

(Locked in)

"Fair point there. Sharp and pointy things were never a good thing to give to kids," Ace agreed. "Though, the string always broke first before I could properly use it." "I guess you could say that...? It was a...hobby that all my brothers took up," they slowly said, raising their bow to take another shot. Mm. Talking about their brothers seemed to make things less stressful. "Ha- even my youngest brother was given the chance to take archery." An unspoken, 'But not I,' lingered at the end of their words. His scars were starting to ache. The whistle of wind against their cheek was enough to know that they at least hit their target properly. It was just a little closer to the center than Roman- Ace's?- first shot. "...I think my brothers eventually dropped archery," Ace finally said, sighing as he lowered his bow. "I think it's different when you're made to take it versus wanting to take it." @Mads | Roman 🥁 Asha 🎆 ? 🪱

"Nice shot. Just a bit better than the first ever shot I've taken with a bow." Roman chuckled. "Why'd your brothers give it up? Too embarrassed that the sibling with the weird blood was better than them?" @Kip | Ace 🏹 / Ellie 📷

"Your first shot wasn't too bad, all things considered," they said, the corner of their mouth quirking upward. "You hit the target, so it's leagues better than I've seen others do. Myself included." They were silent in thought for a moment, turning to face Roman fully. "Hm. First of all, it's not weird blood, it just glows when I overexert my powers. Which, ah. Has been happening quite frequently. And second of all...I'm not entirely sure." "The youngest one never liked physical sports, and my eldest brother...mmm. I think he stopped as some form of...protest? Once I got the hang of archery, I think he had enough of it." Ha. It worked, at least. "But I'm not the only person with weird blood. You have weird blood powers." @Mads | Roman 🥁 Asha 🎆 ? 🪱

"Your body holds on to some of that muscle memory, so I kind of fast-tracked knowing how to shoot a bow when I could control you. If that didn't happen, controlling people would be a lot harder... Actually thinking about how to do something as simple as walking in someone else's body is nearly impossible." Roman explained briefly, and seemed happy to do so. "Still, weird blood does weird blood things. It doesn't smell as much as it did that first time we met." Roman grinned. "What makes my powers so much stranger than yours? I got my consent to get your blood, which if you want any sway with Naiyta, I am quite hungry again.. If you spare me some maybe I could get you something." @Kip | Ace 🏹 / Ellie 📷

"Hm. Muscle memory, you say. That...makes sense. So it's mostly relying on patterns and whatnot?" They seemed much more comfortable talking about Roman's powers rather than experiencing it first hand. Ace wrinkled their nose at that, a bit. Concerned. "...My blood doesn't smell?" he muttered, unsure of what to do with this no information. "I- okay, hey, hold on." Anything they wanted to do with Naiyta would end up with it six feet under. Double that, actually. "You never explained...your entire partnership with Naiyta," they slowly said, before adding, "Well, I never really asked." @Mads | Roman 🥁 Asha 🎆 ? 🪱

"Acey, your blood has a strong smell when it's all activated and everything. Maybe not to you or anyone else, but to me it does. But I can smell everyone's blood, so don't feel insecure." Roman chuckled. "But my partnership with it? Well, at first I thought I was just here to be a prostitute, but Naiyta informed me when the fight selection happened that I wasn't. So that was a bit of a shock. But yadadadadadaaaa, some stuff happened, I wanted some things, and I stayed with Naiyta up in the Acropolis for a few hours." "I mostly enjoyed their company and we have been spending a lot of time together. I quite like them, once you get past their... Psychopathic exterior, they're quite nice. You just have to know what to look for." Roman smiled. "I don't think we're official or anything, but they haven't negatively reacted when I called them mpenzi, which is like partner. But they also might not know what I mean when I say it, so that's part of why I've been saying it the whole time rather than something more.. Obvious, to them." @Kip | Ace 🏹 / Ellie 📷

Good lord, his blood smelled. What the hell. But that wasn't the worst of what Roman was saying. It would have been a bit. Cruel, to say 'I told you so' about the whole servant thing, so he didn't. When Roman began to describe their...relationship, it took all of Ace's power not to wince. (The worst thing to do when someone was talking about their partner was to disparage them. Even if their partner was, y'know, Naiyta.) "...So, 'partnership' was a bit on the head," he said after a moment of mulling over his thoughts. "Well, I'm happy for you, that you found someone. You...haven't told them what mpenzi meant?" @Mads | Roman 🥁 Asha 🎆 ? 🪱

Roman stayed smiling as he crossed his legs and toyed with some of the fabric of his new outfit. "Thank you, we are pretty happy.." Roman said. "And no, but I feel like at the times I said it it's meaning could be implied. I also think by now the feeling is mutual between us. We have a lot of plans together..." @Kip | Ace 🏹 / Ellie 📷

Nosy. "Mm. I see," Ace hummed, slinging the bow around their shoulders. Training could wait. He was nosy. "What...plans? Are you not competing in the tournament anymore?" @Mads | Roman 🥁 Asha 🎆 ? 🪱 (edited)

"Oh, I will still be competing... If the tournament is still going by the time my fight comes around." Roman grinned, and didn't expand upon that. "Naiyta loves me so much it heard that Levi was causing me some problems last night, and pushed up his fight to this morning... Solved that problem pretty quickly." @Kip | Ace 🏹 / Ellie 📷

...Right. Ace was going to ask about that. Mhm, emphasis on was. "The contestant who turned into an egg?" Ace asked, raising an eyebrow. "He was causing trouble?" If the tournament was still going. Whatever that meant. @Mads | Roman 🥁 Asha 🎆 ? 🪱

"Well, I didn't actually see the fight, but whatever happened to him he's no longer my concern." Roman shrugged. "He was threatening to beat me in to a pulp last night, and he nearly did too! Got realllll close.." @Kip | Ace 🏹 / Ellie 📷

"Oh, sst," Ace hissed, actually wincing this time. He couldn't imagine fighting that guy. "That's very unfortunate. Are- are you alright now? I'd assume you got your injuries healed?" @Mads | Roman 🥁 Asha 🎆 ? 🪱

"Oh, if he actually hit me he wouldn't have even made it to the fight. He just gave me an example of what he could do, which was turn pavement in to gravel." @Kip | Ace 🏹 / Ellie 📷

Yeah. Judging from that fight, he could only imagine what it looked like with full on ground. "Hm. That...is a very efficient way of handling someone," was all they said, folding their arms over their chest. "But I digress." "What...what are they like? I've only ever seen them as the host of the tournament, but you see something more in them." @Mads | Roman 🥁 Asha 🎆 ? 🪱

"What's Naiyta like? Well, strong, very strong.. Sexy, hot, dominating.... A rough exterior coating a somewhat softer, gentler inside... Then inside of that inside is another freak, which I like." Roman said. "They definitely know what they want, and they are not afraid to ask for it." @Kip | Ace 🏹 / Ellie 📷

"mm. Okay. That's on me, I asked," Ace grimaced. Egugh. They were not getting that out of their head now. "I...see. Mmhm." That didn't really answer...anything. It was a freak, but that was already a bit of a given. "So long as you're...happy, I suppose. You know yourself best." @Mads | Roman 🥁 Asha 🎆 ? 🪱

"I don't really care if I'm happy, I just want Naiyta to be happy." Roman said. "But at the moment, yes, I'm also happy." "Have you ever dated before?" @Kip | Ace 🏹 / Ellie 📷

Hm. "That's...hm." They're not sure if they should try and...urge Roman away from that sort of behavior- or if they have the stamina to, either. "I see." At that, they visibly sour, tapping their finger against their arm with increasing intensity. "...I had a fiancé. Had." @Mads | Roman 🥁 Asha 🎆 ? 🪱

"Ohhhh, dang. That's rough. What happened?" Roman asked, just as nosy as Ace apparently... @Kip | Ace 🏹 / Ellie 📷

"A close friend of nine years went missing out of the blue, and it looked like my ex-fiancé had the exact same idea," Ace flatly said. "He wasn't all too interested in the search party and felt we should have focused on other important events." Asshole. "Such as our wedding." (Nathan never liked the guy. If they were here, they'd probably burn up his stuff before offering to take them out for drinks or something.) (Gods. Not here. Never here.) "Hm. But aside from...that wreck. I've had a few partners before. They didn't last long, though I do stay in contact with a few of them. Ah- did, that is. Since I'm here." @Mads | Roman 🥁 Asha 🎆 ? 🪱

"Oof, nine years.. That's a long time." Roman said. "Naiyta is only my second- but it's pretty similar to my first, to be honest.. Maybe just a tad more intense and harder to read." @Kip | Ace 🏹 / Ellie 📷

"Mmhm. A three year relationship meant nothing compared to that," he sighed. "Your first, you say? I could...see how Naiyta would be a bit more, ah. Intense." @Mads | Roman 🥁 Asha 🎆 ? 🪱

"My first was no walk in the park either, ever hear about Roque Rayes? Of the Roqueing Rayes?" Roman grinned proudly. "I was her favorite. I bet I still am." @Kip | Ace 🏹 / Ellie 📷

Ace seemed to think about it for a moment before shaking his head. "Ah, unfortunately, no. I would assume that they're...a band?" They smiled nonetheless, tilting their head to the side. "You look pretty happy thinking about her." @Mads | Roman 🥁 Asha 🎆 ? 🪱

"Yep! An electropunk band with four members. Pretty famous.. I was the drummer." Roman said. "Might be a bit.. After your time." "And she does make me happy, you could see her if you'd like." @Kip | Ace 🏹 / Ellie 📷

"Hmm, electropunk- it. It most certainly is a bit after my time," he said, laughing. "But I'm sure my friends might have. They're, ah. Younger than I." At the offer, Ace hummed, a bit...nosy and also very intrigued. "Well, I wouldn't say no. You have a photo of her?" @Mads | Roman 🥁 Asha 🎆 ? 🪱

"A photo? No, I believe I have something better.." Roman smiled and stood up from the bench. He held his arms out in front of him, and blood began to pool around his palms. "You'll have to give me a second. It'll be worth the wait." @Kip | Ace 🏹 / Ellie 📷

Ace took a step back for Roman to do his thing, watching the blood begin to form in his hands. It didn't look to be what he did the first time they met. Statue? Blood statue? "Just so long as it doesn't involve any possession or puppeteering," they lightly said, gesturing with their hand a bit. "Again, nothing against you." @Mads | Roman 🥁 Asha 🎆 ? 🪱

"Oh, yeah none of that will be necessary." Roman chuckled. As the blood formed in his hand, they began to solidify in to a dagger in each hand. Once they were fully formed, he crouched down and stabbed them both in to the ground. "She will be right down here." @Kip | Ace 🏹 / Ellie 📷

Ah, yeah, now that looked like what he did the first time. They watched with intrigue as the daggers formed, pleasantly surprised. An element like this had so many varieties of manifesting- puppetry, physical manifestations, and even a dimension- incredible. "In your blood dimension?" Ace asked, a bit confused. "I...hm. Is it...safe for me to go in there?" @Mads | Roman 🥁 Asha 🎆 ? 🪱

"Oh yeah, it's perfectly safe to go down there. And don't worry about getting messy, I can remove any blood from anything.." Roman drew the daggers in a circle and opened up the portal. "Elderlies first," Roman smiled and held his hand out toward the portal. @Kip | Ace 🏹 / Ellie 📷

Well, at least his robe was black. "Uh...huh," they slowly said, peering inside the portal. Yeup. Blood and muscle and stuff. "...well." Carefully, Ace lowered himself into the blood dimension, already expecting that awful noise. @Mads | Roman 🥁 Asha 🎆 ? 🪱

Roman followed him in quickly after, and the entrance closed up behind them...

Once the platform was finally ground-level, Ace carefully stepped out onto the sandy floor with a slight wobble to their step. Whoo. They were clutching at their shoulder, blood starting to seep through the fabric. "...I did not expect all that teeth," they murmured, blinking as their eyes adjusted to the light. "Shit." Somehow the sand felt worse than the flesh pit. It was sticking all over their legs. "Eugh. Was it really necessary to muffle me?" @Mads | Roman 🥁 Asha 🎆 ? 🪱

Roman licked his fingers off as the portal closed beneath them, and chuckled. "I just wanted to see what you'd do." Roman said. "Anyway, ciao! I'm gonna go eat some lunch, thanks for being my little appetizer down there." @Kip | Ace 🏹 / Ellie 📷

Ace was...very confused and unsettled by...that. "I...m..hm?" What he'd do?? "R...ight. Enjoy your...not blood-lunch," they slowly said, peering a bit at their bite. Sst. Still all angry and bite-markey. "I'll see you." @Mads | Roman 🥁 Asha 🎆 ? 🪱

"Mhm, byeeee!" Roman turned and left, promptly. @Kip | Ace 🏹 / Ellie 📷

Ace stood there for a good bit and watched Roman leave, before sighing and removing his bow. Guess he wasn't going to keep training after all today. ...He had to find somewhere to wash this sand off. It was getting painfully itchy.

Darcy followed Ace to the arena. "Wow.... it stuns me how they clear out the fight arenas so quickly. It was like this with the last tournament, too." @Kip | Ace 🏹 / Ellie 📷

"It was a very fast process," Ace hummed in agreement. "It's only been a few hours- ah, maybe a little less, actually." "I was here earlier to train, and it was already cleared out," he explained, making his way over to the weapons stand. "It's surprising how quickly everything was cleared." "Ah, right- did you want to train with or without weaponry?" @innsjo | kyrie🪶+ darcy🖋+npcs

"Probably some kind of magic. If I didn't hate the lifebringer so much, I'd want to ask how they do it." Darcy hummed. "Ah, I'd prefer without- I don't know how to use any weapons, really." He laughed awkwardly. @Kip | Ace 🏹 / Ellie 📷

"That makes sense," they said. "The magic and your...dislike. For the Lifebringer." "Ah- you don't?" Ace asked, a bit surprised. "That's not an issue; we don't need to spar with weapons in that case." Alas, no archery for today. "Do you fight with primarily your spells, or with hand-to-hand combat?" @innsjo | kyrie🪶+ darcy🖋+npcs

"Well, I don't usually fight at all." Darcy let out a dry laugh. "Though, I guess if I had to, it would be with my spells. I have a few combative ones." @Kip | Ace 🏹 / Ellie 📷

"That's fair enough," Ace said, laughing quietly as well. "Mmm. I guess it makes...much more sense that most people don't exactly know how to fight." Ace started to make his way further into the arena, sand crunching quietly underneath his sandals. It felt...much more eerie being here than his first time training with Kairas. It felt so large- so intimidating. Perhaps it was because he had watched three people die in this very place? (And soon, he'd be fighting for his life in here, too. The thought of him...dying here made him feel absolutely nauseous.) "Combative spells, yes?" they repeated, stopping once they'd gotten far enough from the perimeter. Mm. Asha. Was here. "Do these have to do with your, ah, wordplay abilities?" @innsjo | kyrie🪶+ darcy🖋+npcs

Darcy scanned the arena as he walked further into it, but remained a bit of a ways away from Ace. "Ah, yes. All my spells are wordplay based." He nodded. @Kip | Ace 🏹 / Ellie 📷

"Interesting," he hummed, the corner of his mouth quirking up in a smile. "I'd meant to ask you how exactly it worked the last time we met, though our conversation had, ah, cut short." @innsjo | kyrie🪶+ darcy🖋+npcs

"Well, I can explain it to you now!" Darcy hummed. "I can cast spells based on words with unclear meanings or strange etymologies or double meanings, that sort of thing. Puns too. Anything like that- my powers exploit the space between languages, the untranslatable energy of languages." @Kip | Ace 🏹 / Ellie 📷

"Oh- that's actually insanely clever," Ace said, eyes sparkling with delight. "It's- not quite a loophole, but...hm. It quite literally is wordplay, isn't it?" @innsjo | kyrie🪶+ darcy🖋+npcs

"It is!" Darcy beamed, clearly happy someone was taking an interest in his powers. "I can give you a demonstration, if you'd like." @Kip | Ace 🏹 / Ellie 📷

"That would be wonderful," Ace grinned, beginning to walk closer- before faltering and stepping back again. "A-ah. I'll leave you to have some space." They tucked their hands behind their back in anticipation, trying their hardest not to smile too much. Darcy hadn't even shown his powers yet. @innsjo | kyrie🪶+ darcy🖋+npcs

Darcy stepped back one step, and took a moment to scan the arena. He focused his sights on a spot just behind Ace... He raised his hand in the air and shouted, "Peregrinate!" As soon as the word had left his mouth, a flurry of silvery feathers enveloped Darcy, and he was gone. He reappeared behind Ace, in the spot he'd been focusing on before. He was panting a bit from the effort, but very clearly pleased with the results of the spell. "Hah! It worked!" @Kip | Ace 🏹 / Ellie 📷 (darcy is at 15 stamina)

Mmm. Why was he feeling anxious by him staring. In a moment, there was a flash of feathers- and the Professor was gone in a blink...promptly before Ace heard his voice from behind them. Ace turned around quickly, looking back and forth from the spot where he just stood to where Darcy was standing now. "You- hold on," he started, unable to hide a laugh," "how did you get from- there to here...?" @innsjo | kyrie🪶+ darcy🖋+npcs

"It's the spell!" Darcy beamed. "To 'peregrinate' is to wander or travel, so when I infuse my powers into the word it allows me to teleport- a short distance, at least. The feathers come from the words more modern association, which is with the falcons. That's just a visual effect." @Kip | Ace 🏹 / Ellie 📷

"That's clever!" Ace gasped, clasping his hands together. "Infusing your powers into a certain word to take on the meaning of that word- bravo! Not to mention the feathers- that's a very nice touch." "How...do spells with double-meaning words work? Do your powers take on the ability of both, or do you pick and choose as you wish?" @innsjo | kyrie🪶+ darcy🖋+npcs

"Usually it's a bit of both! Like, um-" He paused. "Okay, the next one I'm doing is an attack. Is that okay? It shouldn't hurt too much." @Kip | Ace 🏹 / Ellie 📷

"Ah, I'll be ready," Ace assured, lifting his arms. He seemed a bit too happy to experience Darcy's powers firsthand. "Have at it." @innsjo | kyrie🪶+ darcy🖋+npcs (edited)

Darcy didn't move, but rose his hand up again. He just did that for dramatic effect. The word he shouted this time was, "Disastro!" Nothing changed with Darcy this time, but a small(but incredibly bright) white star formed above Ace's head and began raining down flame upon him. Ouch! @Kip | Ace 🏹 / Ellie 📷

"Eh" First there was a little white star that hurt his eyes- and then there was stinging- Ow. Wait. More stinging. Hot. Hot. Ow. Ace yelped, lifting his hands (much higher) to cover his head as he stepped back and hopefully out of the fire...zone. Disastro- disaster? Was that what it meant? @innsjo | kyrie🪶+ darcy🖋+npcs [Ace is at 21 HP]

The star quickly faded into nothingness after the damage was delt. "Sorry!" Darcy apologized, even though Ace had said it was okay. "That one's 'Disastro', it's Italian. It's the root word for 'disaster', but the word itself means ill-starred- it kind of had the same meaning as 'bad omen' in the astrological sense. So, those two meanings are combined into one effect!" @Kip | Ace 🏹 / Ellie 📷

1:03 PM

(also darcy is at 17 stamina now)

Ace was patting down his arms as the star faded, though he was still smiling brightly as Darcy spoke. "'Ill-starred'- ha! Fascinating!" Ace grinned. Not even being toasted could stop this dork from smiling. "So you combine both meanings into an easy, compact spell! Again, very clever." "...Hm. Who comes up with these...I suppose- 'spells'? Where did they come from? Ah, unless it was you who imbued your magic into the spells and, well, formed them." @innsjo | kyrie🪶+ darcy🖋+npcs

"Thank you!" He beamed. "I made the spells! At least, all the ones I use, I created. Other language mages make their own spells and use others, but I prefer to use my own, since I know the effects better." He beamed. "We comb through lexicons and study etymologies for words that might have the potential to be good spells, then try imbuing our powers into them until we get a stable effect! It's a lot of trial and error, so most people work with more practical, less explosive spells than I." @Kip | Ace 🏹 / Ellie 📷

"Such an abstract concept turned...tangible," Ace murmured, very much awed. "'Language mages' is such a creative term for the work that you all do. I- well, all of your work and spells are very creative!" "Your powers and abilities are just- well, literally, they're just a play on words. I'd have to say, this is one of the most creative and- ha- open-book powers I've seen in a very long time!" they said, starting to pull in the reins a bit. "But- I. Khm." "You mentioned, ah. That your spells are a bit more...'explosive'? Than others?" @innsjo | kyrie🪶+ darcy🖋+npcs

"That's the idea." Darcy laughed. "There's, ah, a lot I can do with my powers. I like to think they're pretty powerful, when they work right." He smiled. "Oh, yes. Most don't bother with stars that attack you or short-range teleportation. Moreso... improvements to piping and electricity efficiency. That sort of thing. Like I said, more practical matters." @Kip | Ace 🏹 / Ellie 📷

"Well, from that little showcase, I'd say it's pretty powerful already," Ace hummed. "I'm certain if you work more on it, they could become much more powerful." "Ah, less...mm. 'Flashy', is that the right word? I understand what you're getting at, though." @innsjo | kyrie🪶+ darcy🖋+npcs

"Thank you. I really am hoping to make them more reliable more than anything... I've out-spelled myself to the point of exhaustion before, it isn't fun." He hummed. "Ah, yes, that's a good word for it. Less flashy." @Kip | Ace 🏹 / Ellie 📷

"Precision over power is also very helpful," he agreed. "If you can get each spell to work properly when you cast it, it's much better than casting it repeatedly with only a slim chance of it working." A wince. "You have? I'd imagine it's...not a very pleasant experience." @innsjo | kyrie🪶+ darcy🖋+npcs

"Mhm. And I'll need my spells to work reliably if I have any chance at winning." Darcy hummed. "Ah... yes. It isn't fun." He winced. "Back around the time of my last tournament, I was having a real problem of my spells backfiring onto me. That wasn't fun." @Kip | Ace 🏹 / Ellie 📷

"There's a few targets over there if you want to work on your, ah- Disastro spell," Ace offered, gesturing at them. "I'd let you try them on me again, but unfortunately I don't have a steady source of healing myself." "Backfiring?" he repeated, tilting his head to the side. "I'd imagine you'd mean the more...attack-based ones?" @innsjo | kyrie🪶+ darcy🖋+npcs

"Mhm, maybe I will." Darcy nodded, and glanced over to the targets. "I have a few other attack spells, though those ones tend to work better on people." "Oh- yeah. Sometimes if a spell doesn't go right, the attack effect will backfire onto me. One time I poisoned myself." @Kip | Ace 🏹 / Ellie 📷

"Mm. Poisoning," Ace muttered, grimacing at that. "That is...not at all fun. I know." "Hopefully there aren't any fights happening...soon. We should hopefully have enough time to train before the next one happens." "Is there...anything else you could to do ensure it doesn't backfire?" @innsjo | kyrie🪶+ darcy🖋+npcs

"Sorry you had to experience it too." Darcy hummed and walked over to the targets, but didn't start practicing yet. "Hopefully so. And we can always train more later- given it isn't one of our fights, I guess." He sighed. "That's... what I'm trying to figure out, I guess. The more I cast a spell, the better I get at it, the less it should backfire. Theoretically." @Kip | Ace 🏹 / Ellie 📷

"At least I was able to get it healed, though I'm not sure if you have any healing-based spells. Not that it would work here if it did, unfortunately." "Theoretically," Ace agreed, starting to stretch a bit. Might as well start training if Darcy was going to. "Hm. Could you make a spell...'smaller'? Or less effective? You could focus on casting the spells consistently, and then work on casting the spells at it's regular power." @innsjo | kyrie🪶+ darcy🖋+npcs (edited)

"I don't have any healing spells myself- but I was able to get help that one time I got poisoned." Darcy hummed. "Hopefully I'll be that lucky if it ever happens again." "Hm. That's an idea. I usually cast them with lower power when I'm developing them- just in case anything blows up." @Kip | Ace 🏹 / Ellie 📷

.. Hm. He was out of the blast zone of Darcy's powers, right? "Right- when you're developing them, you're using lower power to see if it can work successfully, correct?" he asked. "You can use that same process to practice casting your spells repeatedly, rather than practicing casting at full force."

3:17 PM

@innsjo | kyrie🪶+ darcy🖋+npcs

Darcy nodded. "Exactly. It still takes the same amount of effort, just less effect." He nodded. "But it's good for contained practice." "Disastro," He repeated again, and a bright star formed over the target dummies, raining fire onto them. Luckily, the rain was stopping the hay-based targets from catching fire *too much. The spellcasting was beginning to take a visible toll on Darcy- he was swaying a bit and breathing heavily from the effort. (9 stamina Darcy I did my earlier math wrong) @Kip | Ace 🏹 / Ellie 📷

"Mmhm," Ace hummed, stepping over to another target as he began to produce his bow. "Ah- same amount of effort?" He looked back at Darcy at the sight of the star, a little bit...surprised. Was he swaying? "If the, ah...Disastro spell is too much, you could try the Pere...Pere...the teleportation spell?" Ace offered, a bit concerned at the Professor's state. Should they get him to sit or something? @innsjo | kyrie🪶+ darcy🖋+npcs

It took Darcy a bit to refocus on Ace's words, and he stepped back from the targets. "Ah... yes, it would be better to practice some non-combative ones as well." He hummed. "Peregrinate!" He called out in a quieter voice, and once again vanished into the flurry of feathers. He reappeared a few feet away, looking even worse. "Oh- whoa, I need to catch my balance. Wow." (4 stamina) @Kip | Ace 🏹 / Ellie 📷

"Hey, careful," Ace sternly said, the bow vanishing into mana as he hurried over to Darcy. "Are you alright? Maybe that was a bad suggestion." He carefully steadied Darcy, making sure that he wouldn't fall face-first into the sand. "Is this what you meant by out-spelling yourself?" he asked, a bit quiet as he looked over his features. "Do you need to take a breather?" @innsjo | kyrie🪶+ darcy🖋+npcs

Darcy leaned into Ace a bit more than a physically stable person would've. "Ahhh- yes. My spells take.... quite a toll on my body. Especially the flashier ones." "I'm fine though. I can keep going." He protested weakly. @Kip | Ace 🏹 / Ellie 📷

Yeah, it was a pretty bad idea to suggest that spell. "Oh, certainly, you can keep going," Ace flatly said, with no real bite behind it. "Sit down for a bit, alright? I can get some water...er. Somewhere. You can keep practicing once you aren't on the verge of falling over." @innsjo | kyrie🪶+ darcy🖋+npcs

"... fine." Darcy conceded. "But I'm not giving up. Not yet. I can keep going." @Kip | Ace 🏹 / Ellie 📷

It'd be pretty mean to roll his eyes at someone who was- mm, not suffering, but certainly going through it. So he didn't. Ace just sighed, starting to walk Darcy over to a bench. "You can't expect to execute good spells every time if you can barely stand," Ace said. "You're not giving up by giving yourself some time to rest." "You keep pushing yourself, and your spells just might backfire on you." @innsjo | kyrie🪶+ darcy🖋+npcs

Darcy sat down on the bench once they neared it, clearly more stable now that he was sitting. He grumbled something that Ace wouldn't be able to hear or understand, and sighed. "You're... probably right." @Kip | Ace 🏹 / Ellie 📷

Ace sighed, folding their arms over their chest as Darcy sat. "Ah. I'm sorry for...reprimanding you, Professor. You're not a child, you can make your own decisions." "...It still was pretty impressive that you managed to continue casting spells, though," Ace murmured, looking to the training dummy that was...not quite on fire. Smoldering, yes. @innsjo | kyrie🪶+ darcy🖋+npcs @Mads | Roman 🥁 Asha 🎆 ? 🪱

Well, Darcy and Ace's little conversation would get interrupted as a small drop of blood appeared on the ground in front of them. It wobbled a little before beginning to grow out in to a full puddle, like there was some spout in the ground in front of them. @Kip | Ace 🏹 / Ellie 📷 @innsjo | kyrie🪶+ darcy🖋+npcs

Darcy hummed in acknowledgment, and muttered something else softly. He was about to reply to Ace when he noticed the blood forming beneath them. Was his exhaustion inducing hallucinations? "What the-" @Mads | Roman 🥁 Asha 🎆 ? 🪱 @Kip | Ace 🏹 / Ellie 📷

"Hm?" Ace asked, a bit confused. "What do you mean, 'what the-'. Oh, in the name of the Spinjitzu Master." Blood. Not again. They were about to take a step away, but they had a bit of a hunch they wouldn't be fast enough. @Mads | Roman 🥁 Asha 🎆 ? 🪱 @innsjo | kyrie🪶+ darcy🖋+npcs

The blood formed around until it was a decent sized puddle, and then began to drip down, back through the ground. It left a ring of dripping blood around the edge. From the ominous portal, a bony hand wrapped up in fabric reached out and patted around the ground for a moment before grasping on to Darcy's foot tightly. @Kip | Ace 🏹 / Ellie 📷 @innsjo | kyrie🪶+ darcy🖋+npcs

Darcy yelped as the hand grasped his foot, and tried to kick it away to little avail. "What- what's going on, Ace-" @Mads | Roman 🥁 Asha 🎆 ? 🪱

"What the hell," Ace hissed, mostly confused, and very concerned at the state of that- hand? He tried to grab Darcy to pull him out of the hand's grip, though it was as stubborn as ever. "I- I don't really know- c'mon, Darcy-" @innsjo | kyrie🪶+ darcy🖋+npcs @Mads | Roman 🥁 Asha 🎆 ? 🪱

"Aw come on Acey- you know what's happening!" Roman huffed from inside. As he faced more and more resistance from the two, he decided to call in the big guns. "Make this easier on all of us!" Two bloody hands rose up from the portal as well and gripped on to Darcy's other foot. They seemed much stronger than Roman was on his own. @Kip | Ace 🏹 / Ellie 📷

4:22 PM

@innsjo | kyrie🪶+ darcy🖋+npcs

"Roman?!" Darcy exclaimed. There was more than simple confusion in his voice- there was fear there also. He stood up, trying to free himself, but could do nothing but struggle. @Mads | Roman 🥁 Asha 🎆 ? 🪱 @Kip | Ace 🏹 / Ellie 📷

"Eh- ah- y.you," Ace sputtered, a bit flustered now. "Where are these hands coming from?" He was still holding onto Darcy as he stood, feet braced against the edge of the portal. The appearance of the hands were definitely an unexpected aspect of this blood...scheme. Though... Hm. It could have just been his imagination, but did Darcy sound a bit more...worried now? "Sorry, Professor," Ace winced, and hopped straight into the portal- holding onto Darcy all the while. @innsjo | kyrie🪶+ darcy🖋+npcs @Mads | Roman 🥁 Asha 🎆 ? 🪱 (edited)

... The three men rose up a bloody platform and landed back on the sandy ground. The portal neatly closed up beneath them. "Here we are! Just like I promised." Roman smiled. @innsjo | kyrie🪶+ darcy🖋+npcs @Kip | Ace 🏹 / Ellie 📷

"... thanks." Darcy muttered as the rose. He still didn't feel bad about attacking Roman. He had been kidnapped and everything. Once he was back on solid ground- that whole blood elevator thing was so gross he couldn't even put it into words, he turned away from both Ace and Roman and began walking off... @Mads | Roman 🥁 Asha 🎆 ? 🪱 @Kip | Ace 🏹 / Ellie 📷

The smell of petrichor was much better than the smell of blood, and Ace just sat there in the sand for a few minutes. Darcy was already starting to walk off. He made no attempt to stop him; Darcy had every right to be upset. He understood why Roman did it. But it wasn't like he had to, or anything. Ace let out a ragged sigh, removing their glasses as they pinched the bridge of their nose. Fuck. Their chest was hurting again. "...you said you wouldn't do that again," he said, voice hollow. @Mads | Roman 🥁 Asha 🎆 ? 🪱 (edited)

Hmmm.. Not so epic friendship style just to walk away. Maybe Darcy just needed a moment. "Mmmm, yeah I know, it wasn't cool of me. But that was a friendship emergency." Roman said. "You need to keep all the friends you can get. Now you have a chance for Darcy to not totally hate you, and think you entirely betrayed him. It was the only way it could have happened." @Kip | Ace 🏹 / Ellie 📷

"I would have been fine with him hating me," Ace grit out, slowly pushing himself to stand. Wobbly. Ow. Ow. "I would have been perfectly fine with Darcy thinking I betrayed him, but I told you not to- to- I told you to not puppet me around again." Their head was starting to hurt again. Hell. @Mads | Roman 🥁 Asha 🎆 ? 🪱

"I know, I know." Roman sighed. "I'm sorry, I thought it would help you in the long run. This place is miserable enough without being lonely, and you two are both so smart.. I didn't want you to not be able to work together." "I tried to keep you calm this time, but.. I see that it didn't really matter." @Kip | Ace 🏹 / Ellie 📷

Doing this so the two of them would cooperate? It made sense. Then there was still the 'doing it' part. "I can handle being lonely," Ace flatly said. "I can handle having people hate me. I cannot handle that." "I am telling you now, and for the last time, do not control me again," they hissed, though it was less out of anger and more just- desperation. "I mean it. I do not care if it will resolve my bonds with people, and I do not care if it will 'help'. You can puppet around others to your heart's content, just not me." If they said please, would Roman listen? "Please." @Mads | Roman 🥁 Asha 🎆 ? 🪱

"I promise." Roman sighed and put his hands on the sides of his own head tiredly. "Would it make you feel better if I returned your blood? It'll hurt me, and you'll need to carry me out of here. But I won't be able to control you without the blood." @Kip | Ace 🏹 / Ellie 📷

"...I don't want to hurt you," they decided, brows pinched together. "But I don't entirely trust you after- after that." "Just- just don't. I won't attempt to hurt you, or anything of the sort. Just...I can figure out my own solutions." Somehow. Somehow, he could. @Mads | Roman 🥁 Asha 🎆 ? 🪱

"I'm surprised you trust me at all, seeing that I work with Naiyta.." Roman said and slowly moved his hands down. Good. Ace didn't want the blood back. That would have been annoying to actually do. "There is absolutely zero cases where you want me to do it, even if your life is genuinely in danger and I could save you by doing it? Not even then?" @Kip | Ace 🏹 / Ellie 📷

"My disdain for Naiyta has nothing to do with you. You have. Certain interests. I'm not going to judge you." Argh. Ace grimaced at that, eyes narrowed into a squint. A fool would have flat out refused him. "...It's far too soon to talk about this," he quietly said after a moment. His skin was starting to crawl again. Hell. "I'm leaving now." @Mads | Roman 🥁 Asha 🎆 ? 🪱 (edited)

"Hm, alright then. I'll just assume it's a no until you tell me otherwise." Roman hummed. "Have a good rest of your day, Ace." @Kip | Ace 🏹 / Ellie 📷

"Right." He was not going to have a good rest of his day. Not because Roman said to have one, but because everything hurt. "Goodbye." With that, Ace left. @Mads | Roman 🥁 Asha 🎆 ? 🪱

Roman hung around for just long enough to not get in Ace's way before leaving as well.

Kyrie was in the arena, drenched in sweat from her workout and driven by pure rage. She was going through spear formations, repeatedly tackling the same training dummy with the same few moves, and yelling out in frustration whenever she got something even slightly wrong. She was very committed to whatever she was doing, not paying much attention to the world outside. @soul | kallum 🔥 + peregrine 🎭

innsjo | kyrie🪶+ darcy🖋+npcs

Kyrie was in the arena, drenched in sweat from her workout and driven by pure rage. She was going through spear formations, repeatedly tackling the same training dummy with the same few moves, and yelling out in frustration whenever she got something even slightly wrong. She was very committed to whatever she was doing, not paying much attention to the world outside. @soul | kallum 🔥 + peregrine 🎭

@soul | kallum 🔥 + peregrine 🎭

Peregrine had risen, fixed himself up and took a moment to languish about how Reagan had been enough to give him one of the best nights of sleep he'd had for a while. Perhaps, if he dug deeper into that, he'd consider if maybe it was being honest to them, the true unburdening of the curse that afflicted him, that was the true source of how unfatigued he was. But he didn't like to consider things that could change his behaviour. He decided to make his stretches everyone else's problem, getting himself dressed enough to be decent as to not warrant immediate consequences as he stretched his arms against his chest and his wings out - definitely not caring about anyone who could smack against them. Perhaps it was his natural draw to noises or frustrated people that drew him toward the arena, but nevertheless he ended up there to become Kyrie's problem. "My, my," he hummed, sauntering closer. "Not my favourite way to break a sweat." @innsjo | kyrie🪶+ darcy🖋+npcs (sorry it took me forever herbert_died

)

Kyrie spun around as she heard Peregrine's voice, still readily armed. She took a moment to take in his words. "No?" She was panting, clearly on edge. "Then I suppose you can find some other way on your own." @soul | kallum 🔥 + peregrine 🎭

Peregrine chuckled. "Throwing me out so soon. I just got here, aren't you going to put on a show for me?" @innsjo | kyrie🪶+ darcy🖋+npcs

"You can watch if you keep your mouth shut." Kyrie turned her attention mostly back to the training dummy. "That is, unless you want to offer yourself up as target practice." @soul | kallum 🔥 + peregrine 🎭

"What if I offer myself as a stress relievant?" He teased, only getting closer - but keeping mostly out of range of an attack. He saw the writing on the wall. "How much better can this than what I offer?" @innsjo | kyrie🪶+ darcy🖋+npcs

"I don't need to relieve stress. I need to get more stressed because I might die tonight." Kyrie threw her spear expertly into the chest of the training dummy. "And I need to make sure that doesn't happen." @soul | kallum 🔥 + peregrine 🎭

Immediately, Peregrine cackled. "All the better to have fun, no?" He leaned to the side to better see the training dummy's impalement, eyebrows raised, incredulous yet impressed. "Let's just hope your opponent doesn't do much moving, mm?" @innsjo | kyrie🪶+ darcy🖋+npcs

"No. Not really." Kyrie wretched the spear out of the dummy. "I'm not wasting any time. Certainly not with you." She spared him a short glance. "What, offering yourself up after all?" @soul | kallum 🔥 + peregrine 🎭

(nsfw

) "Unfortunately, a spear is one of few ways I prefer not to be penetrated with." Peregrine grinned at Kyrie, playfully wolf-whistling as they retrieved their spear. @innsjo | kyrie🪶+ darcy🖋+npcs

"Figured as much." Kyrie hummed, twirling the weapon in her hand. She looked like she was about to attack the dummy again, when a cold, cool voice rang out above the arena. "I'm not interrupting anything, am I?" Naiyta descended into the arena calmly, slowly- with a poised and confident manner. @soul | kallum 🔥 + peregrine 🎭

Peregrine turned with a small grin. He recognised that face. "No, nothing, fortunately. Just a threatened stabbing," he teased, turning to Kyrie and smirking playfully. @innsjo | kyrie🪶+ darcy🖋+npcs

Kyrie shared none of Peregrine's amusement. "Naiyta." She nodded stiffly. "Kyrie Coalfoot. Just the woman I'm looking for." Naiyta addressed her once they stood on even ground. It spared a glance towards Peregrine. "And you, too." It turned back to Kyrie. "I have a proposition for you. Or, rather, an agreement to the proposition you've given me." Kyrie stiffened, but didn't immediately answer. @soul | kallum 🔥 + peregrine 🎭

Peregrine grinned back at Naiyta, mock bowing, before waggling his eyebrows at Kyrie. "A proposition, hm? I believe I'm quite familiar with that terminology. Tsk, tsk, Kyrie," he mocked, shaking his head. @innsjo | kyrie🪶+ darcy🖋+npcs

Kyrie pointedly ignored Peregrine. "What do you want?" "I think this is just as equally a matter of what you want, Kyrie." Naiyta said, relishing her name on its tongue. "Regardless, my demands are simple. I want to fuck you." Kyrie closed her eyes and clenched her fists. "And.... you'll rig my fight if I agree? You'll make me win?" @soul | kallum 🔥 + peregrine 🎭 (edited)

(tw dodgy reference to sex idk how to explain) Peregrine laughed outright at the bluntness. "You really do just take what you want, don't you? How fun, how forceful. Not too many will take you up on that." He leaned toward Kyrie, completely ignoring her plight. "What a treat~" @innsjo | kyrie🪶+ darcy🖋+npcs

"No use talking around the subject. We both knew that was on the table, didn't we, Kyrie?" Naiyta shrugged. Kyrie shook her head and body, snapping out of her tense trance. She stepped away from Peregrine. "No- well- I'd like to discuss this a bit more. I want to know exactly what's on the table for the both of us." Naiyta rolled their eyes. "It's really a simple exchanges. I pull a few strings, help you out in your fight- and after you win, I get to use your body for the night, do what I want to you. Easy as that." @soul | kallum 🔥 + peregrine 🎭

Peregrine laughed as Kyrie stepped away from him. "You're so hesitant; darling, that's a walk in the park. I do that just for fun, you're doing it for guaranteed glory." He looked over at Naiyta with a smug look, as if to mock Kyrie further with camaraderie he tried to make with them. "Really, this is a steal of an offer, isn't it? If I was in such a place..." He trailed off, leaving what was his own proposition in the air. @innsjo | kyrie🪶+ darcy🖋+npcs

"I'm not talking to you." Naiyta dismissed Peregrine casually. "Kyrie, I strongly advise you to consider my offer. It is your life on the line... and you look pretty desperate." Kyrie took in a breath, and bit back the seething reply forming on her lips. "Only one night, right?" "Only one night." Naiyta smiled. "Unless you want more from me in the future." @soul | kallum 🔥 + peregrine 🎭

Peregrine rolled his eyes. "You really should~" He mumbled but otherwise didn't protest further, stepping back and watching the... discussion. He ignored how familiar it felt to a conversation he'd had years ago now. Would it ever really be one night with the sort of people who promised that? Unlikely. He'd not found that to be the case yet. @innsjo | kyrie🪶+ darcy🖋+npcs

Kyrie shut her eyes firmly. This was awful. This was really awful. She hated Naiyta for being such a freak, she hated Peregrine for egging them on- she hated Roman for setting her up for this stupid deal anyways. But most of all, she hated herself for ever being in a position to get here in the first place. But it was her life on the line. Was it really so bad for a more guaranteed chance at living? At not perishing by Naiyta's hand? She took in a shaky breath. "One night." She replied. "One night, you can have your way with me. Only if you help me win." If they didn't- well, she'd be too dead to hold up that end of the bargain, anyways. "Of course." Naiyta's smile was sickeningly sweet. It held out its hand for a handshake. To solidify the agreement. Kyrie took it. @soul | kallum 🔥 + peregrine 🎭

Peregrine watched the exchange, the agreement, with a tilted head and bored expression. "How romantic," was all he said. @innsjo | kyrie🪶+ darcy🖋+npcs

"It's settled, then." Naiyta broke their hand away and stepped back. "I'll see you after your fight, Kyrie. I'm looking forward to it." Their smile brightened as they began to leave. "Good luck." Kyrie was silent even after Peregrine left. @soul | kallum 🔥 + peregrine 🎭 '

Peregrine shook his head. "You could at least pretend to be grateful. Being picked up by a higher figure doesn't just happen to anyone," he teased, leaning in again. "You best make it worth their while. Who knows how far it can take you?" @innsjo | kyrie🪶+ darcy🖋+npcs

"I'm not grateful. I don't want anything to do with it." Kyrie hissed once Naiyta was out of earshot. "I'm just not going to let it kill me." @soul | kallum 🔥 + peregrine 🎭

"That's what we all say at first, isn't it? But the benefits outweigh desire in the end, and in the end, they become one and the same." Peregrine paced around Kyrie, head tilted. @innsjo | kyrie🪶+ darcy🖋+npcs

Kyrie's body was stiff, she didn't move to face Peregrine. "I take it you speak from experience?" She scoffed. @soul | kallum 🔥 + peregrine 🎭

Peregrine grinned. "What else is there to talk from, darling? I've made a living from people like our dear host, who just love to see an Angel pinned beneath them~" He continued to pace them, circling them. @innsjo | kyrie🪶+ darcy🖋+npcs

"From the way they talked to you it didn't seem like you caught the Lifebringer's eye." Kyrie pointed out. @soul | kallum 🔥 + peregrine 🎭

"Not yet. I always draw attention one way or the other." He paused his circling. "Take it as a compliment. They were so enraptured by you that they couldn't spare a glance my way." He playfully reached his wing out to brush Kyrie's cheek with his feathers, continuing his circle again to do so comfortably. @innsjo | kyrie🪶+ darcy🖋+npcs

Kyrie flinched away from his touch. "I said I'd do anything to win. I'm fulfilling that promise. That's all." She said. "I don't know what they want with me, or why they want to have sex with me, and frankly, I don't really care." @soul | kallum 🔥 + peregrine 🎭

(nsfw comment) Peregrine cackled. "Who knows why anyone wants sex? It's just because they can have it," he teased. He stretched his arms up and his wings out, lightly smacking Kyrie in the face. "You'd best get ready. Very few like their sluts sweaty. Go take a shower." @innsjo | kyrie🪶+ darcy🖋+npcs

"They want me after my fight. Where I'll no doubt be gross and sweaty and wounded." Kyrie huffed, stepping back from Peregrine and stretching her own wings out. @soul | kallum 🔥 + peregrine 🎭

"Maybe they'll clean you up themself, what a treat. Whether it's with water or tongue..." @innsjo | kyrie🪶+ darcy🖋+npcs

"How lucky I'd be, in that case." Kyrie said, her tone dry and sarcastic. She tuened back to the training dummy, and assumed another fighting stance with her spear. "They seem like the type." @soul | kallum 🔥 + peregrine 🎭

Peregrine laughed. "Well, you'll have to report back to me. I'd certainly like to know their other tastes." @innsjo | kyrie🪶+ darcy🖋+npcs

"Sure. Whatever." Kyrie went back to running through attack formations. @soul | kallum 🔥 + peregrine 🎭

Recognising he wasn't likely to get much more entertainment out of Kyrie, Peregrine sighed dramatically before backing off. "I can tell when I'm not wanted," he teased. "I'll leave you to practise your moves in peace." @innsjo | kyrie🪶+ darcy🖋+npcs

"Fine by me." Kyrie shrugged. "I'll... see you around." @soul | kallum 🔥 + peregrine 🎭

Peregrine finally gave Kyrie well needed peace, pacing backwards before taking flight and leaving. @innsjo | kyrie🪶+ darcy🖋+npcs

archery training

roman and ace

wizard boys training

blood dimension boys

negotiating bird people sex