Valhalla felt bad for preventing Chaldene and the senshi (Phact) from helping their friend, but unlike him, they had magic that would help to destroy whatever was controlling Maia. Other than his fists, he had nothing to fight with.
He could feel Ganymede shift in power, knowing without looking that she’d become a princess to try and help in whatever way she could. Hopefully she wouldn’t use all her magic prematurely.
“Maia, don’t give me that,” he said, not at all put off by the fact that she was battling with herself or that she just tried to choke him. Instead, he moved off of her just enough to gather her up into his arms, not just to comfort her, but to be able to try and restrain her if necessary. He wanted to help the others fight the tree of course, but being unable to do much, he figured this would be where he was most useful.
“You know very well that we’ll beat it, otherwise you wouldn’t have put anyone in danger. If you thought it was hopeless, you would have come here by yourself, wouldn’t you?” Valhalla asked as he held her against him, both to protect her from the electricity and to try and to try and keep her distracted. It was a little morbid to think that she might not have sought them out to help her, but he only said it because he knew he would have done the same thing. Had he known there was no chance in fighting the darkness… well, he already had Celsus’s promise to end his life, should he be fully corrupted.
“Look… Look at all your friends fighting to save you,” he said, turning just enough so she could see the others attacking the tree. He felt a surge of pride, knowing that his allies would stop at nothing to save one of their own. Knights and senshi he didn’t even know, and he wouldn’t be surprised if Maia didn’t know all of them either, were fighting for her. For all of them.
“Let us help you. Ganymede saved me from being corrupted… she can save you too,” he said, and now that he had Maia in his arms, turned so he could cross half the distance to get to Ganymede.
A crack of lightning from the tree trying to reach out and attack them could be heard, but it managed to miss.
((Time for work Pompeii will be done once I get settled and uptodate at work))
Antares glanced around at everyone, surprised to see that on senshi had changed. "Oh!" She had felt the spike on energy but was so focused on fighting the tree she had payed no attention to the change. She was snapped out of her surprise when Shang hollered in pain. The young blond immedIately began to search for the knight in question, her eyes practically icing over when she saw him scrambling away from the tree. It was clear he had just gotten a jolt after attacking the demon tree.
Cursing herself for her inattentiveness she raced once more towards the tree. Once in range she released her magic for the final time, her scorpion skittering across the short distance to strike the at the tree. Antares didn't care if it really was affecting the tree a lot, as long as her attack gave the Shang and the others time to dodge the lightning whips, unlike her. She was too close so could do nothing more than grit her teeth as electricity pulsed through her system. Her whole body tingled as she scrambled away, her knees finally giving out a short distance away from Shang and the page he was by. "That's my last one," she let him know as she slowly climbed back to her feet, her black sweatshirt dirty and torn. "Now it's down to a physical beat down." She was facing the tree, her eyes hard as their iciey color, determination written all over her face.
Pompeii had sensed the spike in energy but she disregarded it in favor for searching for more projectiles to throw at the tree, doing her best to dodge the electrical whips and the shocking seeds. When she had two decent size stones in her hand she paused a moment to take stock of her aim.
She launched both stones with as much precision as she could get, with as much force behind them as she could generate. Pompeii was rewarded with a satisfying double thud as both stones struck the tree squarely. Even the bone jarringly strong pulse of electricity she received in retaliation couldn't squash her proud grin. Her magic might have been useless against the tree but she could at least chuck s**t at it to cause damage.
Whimsical Blue rolled 1 20-sided dice:
18Total: 18 (1-20)
Posted: Mon Aug 24, 2015 6:23 pm
There was a sudden feeling of warmth and rejuvenation and stiffened Ida's spine, letting her stand up a little straighter. She wasn't sure quite where the rush of new strength came from, but she wasn't going to look a gift horse in the mouth.
One last time, Ida threw up her arm and called her bow, sending the last of her arrows shooting at the tree. With it went the last of her strength, but it was a weighted gamble. They were wearing it down, that much she could see. If everyone worked together, maybe that would be enough.
With the last of her attacks came a volley from the tree, jolting through Ida to send pain fizzling along her nerves. She gritted her teeth and bore through it, determined not to lose her footing to it. She might not be that strong, but she was not going to lose to chaos, not without putting her everything into it. There were people here to still needed protecting, not the least of them Maia. She wouldn't let her friend be hurt more if she could help it.
Ida stumbled backwards to regroup and she felt a wash of royal aura against her senses. Castor? Iris? She hadn't seen either of them when she arrived... So when she saw who it came from, all the eternal could do was stare wide-eyed. Ganymede? When had this happened?
Princess. Babylon looked around, trying to pinpoint the source of the aura - he'd felt it before, but between the tingling of his teeth and singular focus on getting some payback against that damn tree, hadn't taken the time to properly place it. (He hadn't seen Iris, would have surely liked to give Castor a piece of his mind...)
It was not really that hard to figure out who was now decked out in creamy white frills and feathers who had not been previously. Ganymede, who with a wave of her dainty hand had rendered his Alethiometer spectacularly out of date... Rude, but, like, good for her. Princesses were generally really useful to have on hand when you were trying to purge Chaos out of stuff.
But, like, right now he was going to pick his jaw up off the floor and continue hurling rocks at the tree, because that was what Shangri-la had said to do and he seemed like he was heading up this rescue operation, of which Babylon was an exceptionally willing participant but hardly one to say he had any business giving orders or making plans in.
So he picked up another rock, hurled it at the tree... and got shocked again, a bolt that hit him in the stomach and sent him retching. "********," said Babylon, stumbling around, his hands clasped over his stomach. "******** this tree, man. ******** it."
Kaori_Luv
16 damage!
litian rolled 1 20-sided dice:
13Total: 13 (1-20)
Posted: Mon Aug 24, 2015 9:18 pm
He had heard Ida once again call out her attack, heard others - like him - following Shangri-La's request to focus their attention on the tree.
He reached out for another rock, his hand once again curving round the smoothness of the stone and then paused for a moment as it registered that something felt different.
Oh the demented tree was still doing its level best to zap them all with tendrils of electricity, but something still felt different - less heavy and malignantly oppressive - making him wonder if perhaps the tree was finally weakening.
He straightened and threw the stone at the tree before looking around for another one.
Perhaps all they needed to take the thing down once and for all was a bit more pushing - just a bit more.
Ganymede was aware of the attention she'd garnered but made an effort not to let it bother her. The awe made her uncomfortable, and explaining what had happened to her was damned near impossible when she hardly understood it herself. She was momentarily glad for the battle taking place, if only because it meant she didn't have to talk to anyone about what she'd become.
She refocused her attention on Maia instead, moving to meet Valhalla halfway when he attempted to cross the distance between them with the ailing Senshi in his arms. The tree was weakening with every attack it attempted to withstand. It was only a matter of time before it was completely destroyed.
She was not so concerned about the electric shocks of Chaos as she might have been otherwise. She knew herself to be immune, along with at least three of her allies currently present. Only the rest were in true danger, but she felt confident that they could end this before any of them fell victim the way Maia had.
Still, Maia was right. There'd be no saving her—truly—until the tree had been taken care of.
Into her hands Ganymede summoned her crystal. She stood by Maia and Valhalla, surveying the battlefield, and she considered her options. The others seemed to be handling the tree rather well. Even so, she felt the need to assist. She couldn't let them fight this battle alone.
“I can't promise this won't hurt anyone else,” she said with some regret. “I've only done it once.”
Then, “Ganymede Crystal Power!”
Quote:
Ganymede Crystal Power
All targets within 150 ft of Ganymede find themselves overcome by a sense of desire that manifests physically as a painful heating of the body. The heat becomes so strong if feels almost as if their blood is boiling, like they are burning up from the inside. Targets include all those infected by Chaos, as well as those of Order who have ever given into their bloodlust and committed murder (self defense does not count). The sensation lasts a full 30 seconds. Targets are likely to feel weak and disoriented afterwards.
Ganymede does 17 + 5 = 22 damage to the tree! She apologizes profusely if she hurts anyone else.
litian rolled 1 20-sided dice:
15Total: 15 (1-20)
Posted: Tue Aug 25, 2015 5:51 am
Athene, unlike some of the others who had come, did not have offensive magic to call on and with Maia back to normal - well at the very least seemingly back to normal - he had no real reason to try calling on his magic...
At least none that he could think of and so he continued to find and throw rocks at the tree as hard as he could, even as he heard Ganymede call on her crystal from somewhere behind him, a part of him hoping that the power of Ganymede's crystal - the power of an Order - would be enough to help them turn the balance.
His hand closed round the latest rock that he thought might suit, Athene straightening so that he could once again throw it at the tree as he had with all the others.
Athene hits the tree for 15 damage
Sunshine Alouette
I'm assuming that Athene wouldn't be negatively affected by Gany's attack as the most lethal thing he's done has been to dust youma, but I can always edit :3
Babylon cringed reflexively, throwing an arm up over his face when Ganymede got out her crystal. After all Castor's bluster about leveling half the city with his, he was expecting the results to be similarly nuclear. I have only done this once sounded more appropriate to craigslist ads about time travel than it did to totally untested weapons of mass destruction, but hey, like he'd said himself, <******** this tree.
Just, he hadn't meant, maybe ******** the rest of us in the process.
And then the crystal was doing its thing, and he was very fortunately not dead. Or, like, suffering any ill effects at all? So, like, okay, cool.
He was just going to go on about his business, phenomenal cosmic power unleashing ganna-rays nearby or not. Babylon fumbled around for another rock - at least there was more light now, so he could be sort of choosy about it?
Finding a likely specimen, he picked it up and hurled it at the tree, but his throw was kind of shitty, so, yeah.
Babylon hits the tree for 11 damage by the grace of god and the skin of his teeth
Having just gotten to his feet, and regained his balance, Chaldene was aiming for another attack. He figured he'd best let Valhalla handle Maia, as he seemed so wanting of the job. Ganymede heading over that way was no surprise, those two did seem rather joined at the hip in a sort of cute way. Shaking his head, dispelling his thoughts, he focused back on the tree and brought his hands up again. "This better work, I'm not going dark." not after the future he'd seen. he'd off himself before that happened.
It was just as he was preparing his own attack that he heard Ganymede and felt the power from the other but he found himself unharmed, not knowing that he could have been harmed and that others in the area very well might be. How was he to know what her magic could do? He really should spend more time with those who also shared a connection to Jupiter...but so many people - too many people.
Again he had to shake his head and refocus himself before casting his spell. "Chaldene Wisp's Secret." The little blue wisps of energy took off toward the tree, to do whatever it was they could. It seemed the tree was less than pleased as moments later he was falling back to his knees, skin scrapping and cloth tearing, as he hit the ground in pain as he grit his teeth against it. Curling in on himself as he held himself tightly, arms about his mid section. "********..." Lifting his head to glare at the tree.
Sailor Scout Attack: Chaldene Wisp Lure. Raising his hands, much like a child would when imitating a gun with their hands, Chaldene blows at the tip sending little wisps of blue energy at his opponent. These little wisps of energy would appear to do nothing at first, as they'd vanish upon "impact" with the opponent. But then the opponent would start seeing a wisp of light just in their peripheral and it would last twenty seconds. This wisp flashing in and out of being and in slightly different places, it would certainly be enough to distract most people. And that's all it is - a distraction, a distraction which can be used twice per battle.
If Chaldene is attacked the spell is broken and if the opponent is attacked it breaks the spell as well, snapping their attention to where it needs to be, for obvious reasons. If someone attacks the wisp it does nothing, the wisp will simply reform - it is after all just a wisp of light that vanishes and reappears anyway.
Super Sailor Scout Attack: Chaldene Wisp's Secret. This attack would go the same as above only this time the attack would last thirty seconds each time it's used and could now be used three times per battle. The significant difference however is that this time a person isn't simply distracted by the wisps appearing and vanishing only to reappear. But they are compelled, by magic and whispered words of encouragement, to look toward the wisps.
The same things can break the spell as before only now when the spell is broken the opponent would feel slightly confused and perhaps even a little disoriented.
Phact could feel power but it did nothing but take her attention away from the tree she was trying to cut down with a rock. The woman had never taken a life outside of youma or a few tree branches. But those were widow makers anyway.
So she easily slipped back into her goal of making the tree bleed the sap from within.
Shang was very focused on getting the tree destroyed, he trusted the other's to handle his sister. Despite being her brother and getting her under control in the first place, he was nearly killed in the process. She seemed less able to control herself here and he was thinking it was the tree. He focused now more on unleashing months worth of pent up aggression that was destroying his wonder on the tree that was killing his sister.
He stayed close and hacked away at the tree. He only dogded about trying not to be hit by other's attacks, but still he swung his weapon like an ax at the tree. It wasn't until the grove was filled with his sister's scream did he stop and turn around.
"What did you do to her," he said banishing his weapon and running toward them.
Sunshine Allouette
Guine
18 Damage to the tree
Posted: Tue Aug 25, 2015 8:41 am
Tree HP: 83 of 600
The tree seemed to have some sort of sense as it was battered with attacks, one making the which made the tree already haunting symphony increase in volume and tempo sounding agonizing. Whatever was in the tree, whatever harnessed it to make it this entity of electric badness.
Maia was restrained and made to look around at her friends and even people she'd never met trying to save her. She wanted to cry, at the moment she was in control and she could process the going on around her. She listened to Val and nodded allowing herself to be carried over to Ganymede.
Moments later, however, Ganymede used her magic and Maia found herself burning. She screamed out in agony and thrashed about in the arms of her friend. Her body was filled with that electric chaos so Ganymedes attack from a decent amount of purchase in Maia. Tears slipped from her eyes at the pain and she attempted to curl in on herself.
The tree was getting weaker and weaker. It needed more power, more energy, more fighters. Yes more fighters. It seemed to glow a dark purple momentarily before it sent of a massive wave of electricity in all directions.
An electric shock wave powerful and impossible to miss.
Shang was hit not succeeding in making it to Maia, he screamed out clenching and flailing as he was shocked tremendously and hit the ground hard! He however did not get back up. The squire lay still on the ground.
The grove seemed to get darker and more oppressive with each body that hit the ground and if Maia wasn't mistaken the darkness felt like it was spreading. Not only were her friend and allie in grave danger, it felt like her planet might be to. "No," she cried out.
The tree is desperate and has sent out a massive electricity wave to fill the surrounding body with the electric chaos, so that it can use them!
EVERYONE will get shocked! AND EVERYONE WHO IS NOT TRANSCENDED, will be knocked out by the wave. Have fun posting your characters reaction post. Next post I make Maia will Transcend, then all left standing can help her finish of the tree and everyone wakes up and gets a little gift.
Sherwood was in a bad place at an awful time. She'd just been hit twice by the electric whips and was in relatively close proximity to the tree when it gave it's last electric hurrah. She didn't manage to scream that time, the pain was too intense, like a blanket covering her whole body. It wrapped up her senses and overwhelmed her.
The force of it, though, was what made her succumb.
The little page slumped to the ground, in pain and whimpering even as she couldn't really move. Her body spasmed occasionally but otherwise she was out for the count in all the ways that mattered.
