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Post by Tug on Mar 2, 2019 21:17:49 GMT -5
As the Colorfolk began to leave the park, to long wooden staffs came swinging towards them, hitting Man in Gray and Woman in Purple, sending them flying into some trees...
"Wooden staffs? Wait, those are staffs... They're stilts!" shouted Man in Gold
"That's right my goodie goodie counterparts, and I'm not the only one, I brought the whole gang with me!" shouted Man in Green with a despicable smile on his face
The entire legion of Evil Colorfolk stood off against the heavily injured and battered 14 Good Colorfolk, except Man in Amaranth Purple but he wasn't a fighter so that didn't help much. They were at a clear disadvantage...
"Now you moral fools, hand over your Prism shards and I'll be sure to make your deaths painlessly quick..." smirked Man Black with an almost animalistic lust directed at them...
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Post by frankthetriviaman on Mar 2, 2019 22:09:46 GMT -5
"We don't have any shards on us and you know it!" Man In Gold said.
"Then after we destroy you, we'll find your hidden base and take them for our own!" Man In Black replied.
"Your rotten heart makes you unworthy of a reassembled Prism and you know it!" Man In Silver pointed out.
Taken aback, Man In Black growled and the group proceeded to attack.
Relying mainly on the less injured Colorfolk, the good ones had to use what was left of their insta-spells for the most part. Despite having the evil Colorfolk having no defenses against spirit magic, Man In Silver was only able to get off a couple spells before passing out, disabling the Yellows.
One by one, the good Colorfolk passed out, eventually only leaving Man In Blue, Woman In Blue, Man In White, Woman In Gold and Man In Amaranth Purple. But they had only taken out five of the Evil Colorfolk.
"Seems we've come at a perfect time... striking you while you are down will be the first step towards our ultimate goal!" Man In Black said.
"Killing us will only secure your downfall!" Woman In Blue said between breaths.
"Not as long as that accursed spirit remains out of the Prism!" Man In Black pointed out.
"We will never back down!" Man In Blue stated.
From the hilltop, the KNUCKLEHEADS couldn't believe it... Colorfolk, fighting amongst themselves?
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Post by Toz76 on Mar 3, 2019 0:06:06 GMT -5
"What do we do?"
"Let's retreat while we still can... who knows what these other colorfolk are capable of..."
As the KNUCKLEHEADS crept away, Woman In Orange and Woman In Gold were locked in combat, but the other heroic colorfolk were fighting two enemies at once. Woman In Blue traded blows with Man In Black and Man In Amber Apricot, Man In White fought Man In Off-White and Man In Ghost White, Man In Amaranth Purple struggled with Man In Salmon and Man In Dogwood Rose, and finally Man In Blue found himself evading Man In Baby Blue and Man In Cornflower Blue.
"Get back here, you!" Man In Cornflower Blue yelled, causing a bunch of thorny tendrils to erupt from the ground and grab Man In Blue's leg.
"OW! I have a hangnail!" Man In Baby Blue whined.
Man In Cornflower Blue rolled his eyes.
"Why are you doing this?" Man In Blue yelled desperately.
"Because Woman In Blue wants to lead the colorfolk down a path of weakness and ineffectuality. Man In Black wants to make the colorfolk strong like we used to be." Man In Cornflower Blue explained.
"That's nonsense! You're faction doesn't care about helping people!" Man In Blue protested.
"Isn't stopping you helping people?" Man In Cornflower Blue retorted.
Meanwhile, at another part of the field, Woman In Blue was having problems of her own. Man In Black was already a match for her, and with Man In Amber Apricot providing support, she had nowhere to go but back. She blocked Man In Black's spells as she retreated backwards towards a tree, almost tripping over an unconscious, jam-covered Woman In Silver.
"I don't like using this spell, but I see no other option..."
A bolt of purple energy shot out of Woman In Blue's eyes and struck Man In Black square in the face. He began clawing at it in an attempt to get it off.
"That Toze spell won't hold him for long... I just need to take out Man In Amber Apricot."
"Good luck with that... I've studied a school of magic so powerful even you can't do anything to stop it." Man In Amber Apricot shouted at her.
"What, the school of arrogancy? Or "looking-like-a-smarmy-doofancy"?" Woman In Blue yelled, realizing immediately that she needed better material.
"Nope..."
Suddenly, Woman In Blue felt something slimy clinging to her legs as a sweet smell entered her nose. She tried to move, but she realized her lower body was encased in something yellow and sticky.
"Is this... honey? But honey magic is illegal! It's too dangerous!"
"Only to those who can't control it. I happen to be a master of the lost art of Elemental Honey, and I guarantee you that nothing can stop me!"
"Not even them?" Woman In Blue pointed up at a large cluster of bees that was circling Man In Amber Apricot.
"What? Oh god... OH NO NOT THE BEES! AHHHHHH!" And Man In Amber Apricot fled the scene.
"Now to get myself unstuck so I can help the others... oh crap."
Man In Black had gotten the Toze off his face and was glaring at Woman In Blue with murder in his eyes.
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Post by Tug on Mar 3, 2019 1:00:00 GMT -5
As Man in Black removed a javelin from his back and charged at Woman in Blue, but a black blade deflected his attack and sent him reeling back...
"YOU!" shouted the evil Colorfolk
"Sorry, but when I see damsel in distress, a knight can't just turn their back and run away..." said the firmly standing Noir Knight
"You know, I'm certainly no damsel..." chided Woman in Blue
"It's just a metaphor miss, sorry, it's a requirement in our order to say something cool like that when making a sudden unexpected entrance..." replied Noir Knight with a worried chuckle
"Well, watch yourself in this modern age, people have been shunned for weaker words..." huffed Woman in Blue
"I'll keep that in mind... Knight Commander, how are you doing?" asked Noir Knight
Nearby, Arkwright stood beside the two Squires and the recently recovered Cavaliers de Trois, Castelmore even got the water out of his lungs...
"Noir, I'll leave that javelin wielder to you, Maguire, Rose, stay close to me, we're dealing with truly vile ones this time, and you three... I can't believe I'm saying this, but... Go wild..." ordered Arkwright with a hint of regret
"Yes Knight Commander Sir! Alexandre! Castelmore! Let's get our combination move underway!" giddily shouted Jaune
"Yeah!" replied the other two Cavaliers
'I can't believe I'm seeing it, Sir Arkwright's true personality brought out by true battle, I've only heard rumors of it from the older members, but it's a sight to see...' thought Maguire as parried an Evil Colorfolk with a sword
"Maguire, stay focused!" ordered Arkwright as he sliced through an Evil Colorwoman and sent her flying backwards into her comrades...
"Yes Knight Commander Sir!"
.....
Man in Blue thought he was done for when three "familiar" figures came charging towards him...
"Oh no not these guys again..." groaned Man in Blue
"Noble Colorman in danger! Step back, for we will unleash our strongest triple attack! Cavalier Battle Formation #37B: Flying Swordsman Slash -Flaming Edition!" shouted Jaune as Alexandre and Castelmore grabbed their leader and threw him at an unbelievable speed for normal humans. With Jaune spiraling due to the momentum, and the igniting his blade and body with his recently unlocked magical abilities, it was more like a flaming bullet than a guy holding a sword being thrown...
Unluckily for them, Man in Baby Blue and Cornflower Blue were facing away from the Cavaliers, and had to turn around to see the projectile...
"What the hell is that? A spell?" asked Baby Blue who fullstopped just to look at the oddity coming towards him...
"No wait its... DUCK DAMMIT!" shouted Cornflower Blue but the duo were too late as the flaming swordsman pierced the Evil Colorfolk and stood on top of their defeated bodies in victory...
"Another victory for the... CAVALIERS... DE... TROIS!" shouted Jaune as he struck a pose, with Alexandre and Castlemore doing their poses will running up beside him
"I guess my horoscope was right that my life would be saved by a man on fire... Hold up, there's still more enemies, be on guard you three!" said Man in Blue deciding to accept help from these "unusual allies"...
"Just as the Blue one said you two... En garde!" shouted Jaune as he aimed his sword
"That's not what I sa... Nevermind..."
.....
"Please Miss, allow me to defeat this one soaked in darkness, I have 'issues' with ones like these..." said Noir Knight very seriously
"Alright then Knight, I'll deal with the Amber one then..." replied Woman in Blue
"Yes, the Honey Mage is none of my concern, I leave him to you..." answered Noir Knight as entered into a battle ready pose...
"You think you an defeat me? You're not even powered by the Prism Shards, what can you even do?" scoffed Man in Black
Dragon of Darkness! I am Sir Nigellus Blake, Knight of a Fair Order and here to slay you! Lokaskaya! Make peace! For this will be your final day in the realm of the living!
"Tell me something foolish one... Do you fear death?" asked Noir Knight
"Not even death will stop me in my quest to complete the Prism!" smirked Man in Black
Noir Knight shoved his sword into the ground, and slowly began to remove his helmet... Red Eyes flashed from a white skull and pierced Man in Black's very being, as pools of darkness flowed around the Dark Paladin...
"Let me ask you again, DO YOU FEAR DEATH?" asked the skeletal monster as he drew his sword, with Man in Black shaken to his core, as an unholy speed flew towards him as a blade of pure darkness sliced into his soul...
.....
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Post by frankthetriviaman on Mar 3, 2019 1:39:31 GMT -5
In the distance, the same robbed figures from earlier watched this conflict unfold. After ensuring that potential witnesses had disappeared once again, they took into account everything they had witnessed.
"Illegal honey magic... we must apprehend that one at once" one stated.
"Not yet... we must get that one alone before doing so. The time must be right" said the superior one. As Man In Amber Apricot ran off, he found himself running into a tree a good distance from the main battle. He fell on the ground with a thud as the bees began hovering over him.
"That would be now" said a third.
The bees disappeared as if being influenced to go away... while a dazed Man In Amber Apricot tried to make sense of his surroundings. Then, he looked up and saw the figures standing over him. When he saw the pan balances on the robes, his face went pale.
"Do you know who we are?" the lead said sternly.
"Y-y... yes" Amber Apricot said sheepishly.
"Don't make us take you in... if we catch you using illegal magic again, you know what we are capable of" he warned again.
Amber Apricot fainted from the shock. Of course he wasn't going to change his ways, but he had been warned.
"The evidence is not enough to take in anyone. But today makes it clear... we must watch this island: I fear what will happen if things escalate" the lead said.
"Agreed; we must enforce all the judicial laws... including the ones concerning warfare" said his right hand man.
"Why aren't we taking anyone in yet?" the junior asked.
"The threshold has not been reached yet. When that happens though... you know what we must do" the lead pointed out.
"Very well. Back to observation everyone; remember- no unnecessary witnesses" the right hand man said as they group went back on "patrol" in the area.
(plot hole once again averted... who are these mysterious ones? Why are they so concerned with the judicial law of magic? Keep reading to find out)
......
Man In Black dropped to the ground; never before had he felt such a dreadful combination of pain and terror in his life. It was almost as if death itself stared him right in the face.
"Damn it... what the hell is that thing" Man In Black muttered to himself.
"Do you dare risk fighting any longer? Because if you die, we both know what the Fifth Law states" Noir Knight pointed out.
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Post by Tug on Mar 3, 2019 23:05:05 GMT -5
"Grrgh... Colorfolk, I sense they have no Prisms, this fight is no longer valuable to our cause, sound a retreat!" shouted Man in Black
"Alright then, I'll consider this an honorable withdraw and allwo your forces to depart, on my code as a Knight..." replied Noir Knight as he sheathed his sword
Noir Knight, with a sheathed sword, began to approach his dropped helmet, and as he picked it up, Man in Black tried to sneak up on the unsuspecting Knight and stab him with his javelin. As the javelin was about to pierce Noir, he threw up his helmet, grabbed the javelin out of the Colorfolk's hands and used it to draw a long scar across Man in Black's chest...
"Be warned when you're stronger enemy gives you the opportunity to escape, do not take his kindness lightly... I only didn't take your life for I wish not to feed the darkness within me... That scar shall be a reminder for any and all who challenge me foolishly..." spoke Noir Knight firmly as he locked his helmt into place, and once more palced his hand upon his darkened sword...
"Huff... You win this time Undead, but mark my words, once I gather the Prism Shards and forge the Prism anew, once the moral fools are gone, you'll be next!" growled a bleeding Man in Black
"Fine, but I won't just be me waiting, but a group of magically powered Knights swore to protect of the peace of this world standing in your way!" laughed Noir Knight as his red eyes shone once more, shaking Man in Black as the Evil Colorfolk gathered their defeated comrades and rapidly fled the battlefield in a cloud of fog...
.....
Arkwright and his fellow KNUCKLEHEADS stood in front of Woman in Blue as the other Colorfolk tended to their injured...
"I don't know how we could thank you... Though it was kind of your fault that we ended up in this mess in the first place..." said Woman in Blue
"It seems some false information lead us to cross swords, but I think we know who the true villains are now... So forgive us, though I think this covers the debts our groups owe each other from the past... Though I definitely wouldn't call us allies, if you ever need help properly protecting the people of New Furness, we'll be ready to lend you our aid, though for time being, it might be a bit begrudgingly..." responded Arkwright
"Alright, I"ll keep that in mind..." smirked Woman in Blue as she and Arkwright shook hands
"Knights, depart!" ordered Arkwright as the seven knights left the battlefield to return to their base...
"What a strange group of people..." commented Man in Blue
"They may be strange, but their hearts are in the right place... Remember them Daniel, who knows what will happen now that the Colorfolk and KNUCKLEHEADS have a common enemy, who knows what two forces for good can do when they work together, well, we're not at that stage yet, but eventually maybe..." lamented Woman in Blue as she and the latest Colorman recruit watched their "allies" depart...
But for the conversations for the departing knights however...
"So Noir, the direction you wanted to take the order in, I can only guess is teaching us all magic, right?" questioned Arkwright
"Of course, though it seems Jaune's gotten a head start compared to everyone else... When we regroup with the others, there's a certain place I heard rumors about that should do just fine in giving us the tools necessary to obtain such a goal..." replied Noir as their conversation began to be drowned out by Jaune's "heroic tale" of how he saved the "Wimpy Blue One from his deadly fate to the Squires, who bought none of it...
.....
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Post by Toz76 on Mar 4, 2019 23:42:36 GMT -5
Back at the swamp base, Man In Black was furious.
"How could this happen? We're far more powerful than the Blue Faction! We can't let this happen again!"
Man In Yellow spoke up nervously. "Uh, actually, we're clearly less powerful..."
Man In Black turned to Man In Yellow with murder in his eyes. "WHAT?"
"Well, I mean, we've hired so many Guild mercenaries that we're literally millions of dollars in debt, we can't ever defeat the colorfolk even with allies... let's face it, we don't stand a chance-"
Man In Yellow was interrupted as Man In Black delivered a massive slap that laid him out on the floor.
"Damn it, I'm not giving up yet! There's gotta be a better way to defeat them..."
From somewhere far away, in a building built into a snow-covered cliff, The Optometrist watched Man In Black scheme with interest.
"This "Ordos" place is even more interesting then we thought, eh Labyrinth?"
"Code names only on duty, please. I'm The Skinshifter." A woman in the corner of the room replied.
"Like "Labyrinth" is your real name..."
"Anyway, you know what the rules are. Tell the other factions and vote on whether to make contact." The Skinshifter said.
"Let's hold off on telling them for now... why don't we send The Beyonder to observe? She's been aching for a chance to put her talents to good use..."
"Fine by me, but if this goes south, it's on your head." The Skinshifter replied, a look of concern crossing her face.
"Oh, don't worry. The Guild Of Damoni always wins..."
************
At the colorfolk HQ, Man In Blue stopped by the infirmary. Man In Silver and Woman In Silver were there, looking a bit worse for wear.
"Hey, you two... you feeling better?"
"Mostly... those Black Faction goons did a number on my back..." Woman In Silver complained.
"At least we've made peace with the KNUCKLEHEADS... for now at least." Man In Silver chimed in.
"Do you think it'll last?"
"Daniel, the very fact that the KNUCKLEHEADS are still around in the 21st century at all is a mystery to me. It's like finding out that the earth really is flat or something. I can't predict what happens next with them, but I do know that kindness and empathy will make a friend out of even the firmest foe. I hope we proved that today."
Woman In Silver rolled her eyes at the Spirit Colorman's little speech. "I guess we all learned a valuable lesson today..."
"I hate to disappear on you, but I have to get to the college." Man In Blue said, glancing at his watch.
"Okay, have fun..." Woman In Silver called after him.
At the college, Man In Blue was surprised to discover that he had a new student. A bored-looking Scandinavian teenager was playing some game on her phone when Man In Blue walked in.
"I didn't know we were getting a new student... what's your name?" He asked, surprised.
"I'm Z-, er Zoie, um, Olson."
"Zoie... Olson... well, welcome to History Of Magic, Zoie!"
"More like "History Of Mumbo-Jumbo" if you ask me!" Said a voice. Man In Blue looked over to see Tiberius, a little too proud of himself for that pun, accepting a high-five from David.
"Well, this is a highly experimental class, and-"
"Clearly you're making this up as you go! There's no such thing as magic! It's all... nonsense!"
Man In Blue smirked. "Nonsense, eh?"
He walked over to the whiteboard to begin lecturing, but then "accidentally" dropped his pen. But to the amazement of everyone, especially Tiberius, the pen suddenly stopped falling and gently floated back into Man In Blue's hand.
"What? How did you do that? Invisible wire?" Tiberius was shook.
"I believe that's what you call "mumbo-jumbo"... anyway, when we left off, we were discussing the ethics of Golem creation and other automatons..."
Everyone was so transfixed that no one saw "Zoie Olson" recording the whole thing... and sending it off to Guild Of Damoni headquarters.
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Post by frankthetriviaman on Mar 10, 2019 17:59:15 GMT -5
Assessing what they knew, the Guild found Daniel to be... rather harmless. He was teaching essentially what was considered "common knowledge" in the world of magic and he wasn't exposing any shocking secrets of any faction or of magic as a whole.
"huh... maybe he's not worth our time" one shrugged
......
"... so yes, there are some who debate the ethics, but the thing is... the debate misses the point entirely" Daniel explained to a now engrossed class. "Golems, and all other artificially created beings, are not considered to be "alive" in the first place... and there are three key pieces of evidence that support this concept" Daniel said as he began writing on the board.
"Evidence of how golems... are not alive?" Frank asked, confused.
"Correct. They are as follows" he explained as he began writing down the evidence of the case
1) Per the Fifth law of Magic, magic is incapable of creating life, in addition to being unable to return life (i.e. cannot bring the dead back). Those who are "alive" are defined as having a soul, and we see that here; Golems and other artificially created beings, do not possess souls.
2) The vast majority of golems are little more than "puppets" controlled by a "puppeteer." They do not possess intelligence and can only acted based on the will of the mage controlling them. The more advanced golems, while possessing some intelligence, there is only so much magic is capable of "programming" to non-living material. Accounts seems to indicate even the best golems, their intelligence was no better than a small child. Same hold for other artificial creatures- like golems, their intelligence is not high enough to understand complex ideas and concepts.
3) The creators of golems, the Order of Masteri- flat out stated that their creations "Were not, and should not be considered alive"
"Quoting directly from a letter the Mage Alabaster sent to a friend" Daniel explained, telling his class to turn to a specific page in their textbook,
"The process to create them is simple and the results are worthwhile, but alas, it does not matter how strong we make them. I know that these golems are neither man nor beast... they are something different, all together. Many depend on a mage the way a puppet needs a puppeteer, though even my own creations are not capable of function independent of myself. The golem can be a capable weapon or tool in the right hands, but that is all it is... a weapon or tool. We wish we could bring these magnificent beings to life... but even with our capacity to animate the inanimate, we cannot create souls"
"Where did this letter come from?" Frank asked
"I'd tell you about it... but that's a lecture in itself" Daniel quipped before transitioning. "And so in conclusion, it is for these reasons that throughout history, mages did not consider golems to be alive" Daniel explained. "Now, are there any questions concerning tomorrow's quiz?" Daniel asked.
"But aren't there those who do consider golems to be alive?" one of the students asked.
"Possibly... but given that there doesn't appear to be too much information on their argument, it would not be fair to present it as such, now would it?" Daniel pointed out.
"So, regarding the quiz..."
.....
(FLASHBACK; after the golem attack)
Daniel and Man In Silver had returned to the area where the golem had been destroyed. Man In Silver had noticed that Daniel was troubled by a few things, and wanted to show him something.
"You did not kill the golem, Daniel, for it wasn't alive to begin with" Man In Silver explained. Though much had been cleaned up, the area was still abit of a mess. They came to the remains of the collapsed golem; the city had not yet allocated resources to move the stone yet.
"The golem did not have a soul, Daniel. It wasn't a man or beast... I don't know what I would call them myself, but to say they are alive is misleading. When you destroyed that Golem, you simply made the stone inanimate again, nothing more" Man In Silver said. As he concentrated, he seemed to be trying to look for something, then sighed. "Yes, it is just as I expected... no trace of a lingering soul or lost spirit" he explained.
"But... but is there anything left to even detect?" Daniel asked.
"If there had been a soul in this body at one point... traces of the bond that once existed between it and the body would remain. And yet, there are none" he explained.
"Wait, if traces of bonds remain after one dies, does that mean..." Daniel began
"No... once a bond between body and soul is broken, there is no repairing it" Man In Silver explained.
"But... but what about near-death experiences and astral projecting?" Daniel asked.
"Sometimes the bonds can be stretched... but like how the flower must eventually wilt, the body must eventually die" Man In Silver explained.
"... and the bonds must break" Daniel realized.
"Exactly" Man In Silver acknowledged. Daniel took a deep look at himself, and realized that one day, he needed to come to terms with something that many probably only take for granted... his own mortality.
......
Man In Black had met with his associates following the failure of the golem attack, when one asked "by the way... were you really planning on letting that golem go free?" one asked.
Man In Black was silent for a bit before laughing hysterically, "Don't be ridiculous! That was but a lie to encourage it to fight harder. That golem was a tool for us to use in furtherance of our goal, nothing more. Besides, I don't think he even understood what I meant by freedom" Man In Black explained.
"how so?"
"When I offered him freedom, his reply was "me not exactly sure what "freedom" is, but if it my reward, it must be very good thing" and... that was it" Man In Black shrugged.
"What happened after that?"
"Who the hell cares? We have prism shards to locate!" Man In Black declared before going into his next plan.
......
Back to the present:
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Post by Tug on Mar 11, 2019 0:04:33 GMT -5
Two individuals were making their way through a cavern as they stumbled upon a stone statue missing a hand...
"Yep... I can feel the residue of the pure magic in the air... I guess this is the fate of someone who mishandles that power huh..." said a man in dark gray colored clothes...
"Well my liege, what should should we do about 'this' then?" asked the armor suited individual
"Grab one end Gilford, maybe Adriana can undo whatever curse was placed on this poor bastard and we can finally get a lead..." replied the man
"A lead my liege?" asked Gilford
"Yeah... A lead on where we can find more prism shards..." replied the man as end of his hammer started to glow with a pure crystalline light...
.....
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Post by frankthetriviaman on Mar 11, 2019 0:35:17 GMT -5
It was a tedious task, given that they had to be careful not to drop the statue lest it shatter, but eventually the two made their way back to the cart. The man in the robes presented the statue before Adriana.
"This was the source of the disturbance, mistress, there's no question about it" he explained.
Adriana looked it over, and tried to see if there was anything remarkable about it. "If only a Spirit-Type Colorman was available; he'd be able to sense if a soul was present and resolve the issue quickly. I have a feeling this is no ordinary statue" Adriana observed.
"If I may... I have strong suspicion that this may be a petrification. My gut feeling is that this man found a... particular kind of artifact that rejects certain wielders of the craft. The magic residue is consistent with a type of magic used by my ancestors... no question, this man had a corrupted heart and tried to touch a prism fragment" the man in dark gray clothes observed.
"Can his petrification be undone?" Gilford asked.
"Undoing petrification is a very complex and, if I may say, nearly a lost art... but perhaps you may have a solution?" the robed man asked Adriana
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Post by Toz76 on Mar 11, 2019 1:54:26 GMT -5
Adriana nodded. "I know a way... but I don't think you'll like it much..."
Meamwhile, on another part of the island, another group of people were talking.
"Man, I wish we didn't have to deal with Man In Black all the time." Man In Infrared whined. "When Woman In Orange is giving the orders, we actually get stuff done."
"Man In Black isn't so bad." Man In Amber Apricot pointed out. "He let me learn Honey Magic despite it being illegal."
"Yes, but he actively makes our lives harder by focusing only on destroying the other faction. We could actually accomplish something real and substantial if we didn't have that albatross around our necks." Man In Infrared argued.
"Like what?" Man In Amber Apricot challenged.
"I'm glad you asked..."
Soon, the two colormen were standing in front of a small shed in the woods.
"What's in here?" Man In Amber Apricot asked.
"Oh, just something I've been working on in my spare time... it's a summoning device."
"A what now?" Man In Amber Apricot was intrigued.
Man In Amber Apricot grinned. "A summoning device. It summons a powerful creature from another dimension and binds its will to the person who sumoney it. I created it from those old texts we found and it works okay... mostly."
"Mostly?"
Man In Infrared's smile faded slightly. "Well, see... I had a little trouble with the "controlled by the summoner" bit... but don't worry, I'm pretty sure I killed the sonic vampire raptor."
"Pretty sure? Not certain?" Man In Amber Apricot looked a little apprehensive.
"Oh, don't worry, I'm sure it's fine... anyway, I need your help. I've tried every elemental power source I could find, but none of them seem to work. With your honey magic and some time, we could make this machine actually work, and then I'll use my army of creatures to rule the colorfolk!"
"You mean "we", right?" Man In Amber Apricot asked.
"Yes, yes... of course." And so, both plotting their double-cross, the two conspirators entered the lab...
WELCOME TO CHAPTER III
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Post by frankthetriviaman on Mar 21, 2019 13:50:44 GMT -5
Back at the cart, Adrianna was preparing a spell, "now, if I get this right... we should be able to restore this man" she said as she thought about which spell would be best for this particular de-petrification
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Post by Tug on Apr 12, 2019 17:25:02 GMT -5
"I got it! Gilford, would you be a dear and grab the third bottle from the right in that cabinet over there?" asked Adriana
"Sure Mistress, but will this liquid do?" wondered Gilford
"It's the venom from the snake of a Gorgon, one of the few things that can depetrify someone turned to stone. It's dangerous, but do this fellow's missing hand I can't use the cheaper alternative basilisk venom because it will most likely kill him once it reaches his wound..." answered Adriana
"Hey, it's not our fault we couldn't retrieve the missing hand, it was pebbles and dust when we found it..." remarked the man in grey colored clothes
"It wouldn't matter, none of us are stone magicians so I couldn't repair it even if we had the pieces and I've used up what I've do know on that 'pet project' you retrieved for me from Blackwell..." replied Adriana as she began to pour the venomous liquid on the stone statue...
The steaming yellow liquid began to eat away at the stone covering, revealing the pale skin to the world once more. As it got the missing limb, bits of the stone remained to stop the bleeding, while the venom stained the area around the wound yellow...
"What exactly is happening then?" asked the man in grey colored clothes
"The venom is eating away at the stone, and if he was conscious would be screaming in agony right now... It's being soaked into his pores and being fed throughout his body by his bloodstream, combining with his blood cells to keep his wound from killing him. His body most likely will develop high poison resistance after this..." answered Adriana
As the last bit of stone fell from Gerard's legs, his knees gave way as he fell onto the floor of the cart...
"Quickly! Get him to the couch!"
.....
Gerard woke up in a strange place with new individuals surrounding him. As he looked where his shard was once held, all he saw now was a stone covered limp of a wrist...
"Where am I? Who are you? Where's the shard!" yelled Gerard s he sprung to his feet and stared down the strangers and s his remaining hand reached for his holster, he realized his gun was missing...
"I figured you would go for this immediately, so I pocketed off you when we dropped you on that couch..." said a smiling man as he spun the revolver and pointed it at Gerard
"Put that away you idiot! yelled a woman as she smacked her gun toting associate, who proceeded to put it away with an ow in response, "I'm Adriana and my associates discovered you after detecting you in an area that we sensed pure magic flowed from, we were wondering if you could tell us how you ended up in this state..."
"Well Miss Adriana, I was looking for a certain 'artifact' when those multi-colored bastards got in my way and placed a curse on me turning me to stone... With the power you used to save me and the power I sens from your associates, I imagine you could help me in retrieving the 'artifact' that was stolen from me..." answered Gerard as the lies oozed through his teeth
"Yes, we would be willing to aid you... Though actually, my associate here was able to retrieve a strange piece of crystal that was found n the rubble near your destroyed hand..." mentioned Adriana
"You found the Prism shard? Then give it to me now you fools! OR else I'll destroy with my very own hands, I mean hand!" shouted Gerard as he pointed his hand out in an attacking motion
"Gilford, to arms!" yelled the man in grey colored clothes as he reached for his hammer and the armored fellow drew his sword and put up his shield to protect Adriana...
"As we thought, you're nothing but a monster who wants to abuse the power of this shards... Our discussion is done and I never want you in my presence ever again..." scowled Adriana in disappointment for the foolish Gerard
"And how will you throw me from this place?" mocked Gerard
"Mark! It's your turn!" yelled Adriana
"Yes Mistress!" replied a new voice from outside the window next to Gerard as a gold powder blew into his face and he was thrown into a field on the outskirts of Blackwell...
"Damn that woman! Well, if I can't get that shard, I might as well go for the people who have more... It's convenient I ended up here..." laughed Gerard as he headed for the nearby Goddess of drinks...
.....
"And that sir is the latest model of Magitek Appendage series by Flickerbee Enterprises, with the green accents being way to measure the amount of magic being inserted into the device from your body. There are even form change capabilities!" said the vendor as a hooded Gerard tried on the appendage
"Perfect, I'll take it..." replied Gerard
"Certainly, that will be..." was all the vendor could say as a sack of coins was placed on the vendor's stand
"Keep the change..." spoke Gerard as he headed towards a 'certain place'
"Oh, alright, pleasure doing business with you si... Oh he's gone..."
.....
The hooded Gerard soon approached a pun with a sign above the door called the "Greedy American". As he was about to walk in a tall tanned figure covered in scars blocked his path...
"What's your business stranger?" asked the bouncer
"I have a job offer to give..." answered Gerard
"Alright then, talk to the bartender then, oh yeah, welcome to the Magic Slayer Association..." chuckled the Bouncer as they opened the door to a dimly lit pub filled with rough looking individuals wearing various outfits, with a commotion going on in the back...
"That's my win! Another round gentlemen?"
Gerard ignored the commotion and headed up to the Barkeep, a woman who was currently cleaning the counter...
"Hey there stranger, and what can I trouble you with?" asked the woman
"I'm here to hire a group to retrieve something for me..." replied Gerard
"Retrieval isn't that unfamiliar to these bounty hunting folks, most are former thieves and robbers anyway... So, what's your reward then?" asked the Bartender
"All I have left is this much..." responded Gerard as he placed a medium sized sack on the counter
"Hmm... This amount you could get a team of F-Ranked Slayers, but capability wise it's only enough to afford one D-Ranked Slayer..." sighed the Barkeep
"DAMNIT! If I'm going to recover those shards from those blasted Colorfolk I need highly skilled individuals!" growled Gerard as he knocked over a few mugs of beer in rage as the bouncer turned and looked at the bartender for confirmation to throw him out
"Hold on Shear... Sir, if you wait right here, I'll discuss this matter with the Association Director..." spoke the Barkeep as Gerard apologized, and she went up the main stairs into a large office...
"Yes Lien, what is it?" asked the shadowed director from his desk
"Well Sir, we got a job offer that's lower than normal, but the targets this time I think can make up the compensation..." replied Lien
"Oh? I guess it's the Colorfolk then huh, we did place a high bounty on them after all... So you want my permission to combine the jobs then?" wondered the Director
"Yes, with the amount it should be enough to attract 'that' group..." added Lien
"Ah yes, 'them', it makes sense, I want those colored fools to pay off their debt, but none of the A or S-Ranked Slayers are interested in the job, but I now I have an excuse to get those idiots to do it..." chuckled the Director
"Good, i'll get right to setting up the job flyer, plus, I think Vanil is 'winning a card game downstairs..." replied Lien
"Perfect, then 'offer' them this new gig..." answered the Director as Lien left his office
After a few minutes, the Barkeep came back with a flyer of all the details and showed it to Gerard
"With a bounty currently placed on your targets by the Association, we're willing to combine the rewards and offer your bounty for a higher rank, and we have a team right in mind... Ghost Puncher, go get Vanil for me, will you, I got a job for him, straight from the B-Rank board..." said the Barkeep
"Right away Ma'am..." said a biker looking fellow in leather as he placed down his bottle and headed off to the back of the pub, near the gambling tables...
"That's it Vanil, I've had it with your cheating!" shouted a mage as he began to speak a spell, only to be met with the muzzle of a revolver in his face
"Let's see which is faster, my bullet or your words..." chuckled Vanil as the opposing mage huffed angrily and left the table
"Hey Vanil, Lien's got a job for you at the bar" said Ghost Puncher as he tapped Vanil on the shoulder
"Well boys, it was fun playing with you, but I'll be taking my winnings and leaving!" laughed Vanil as his opponents all growled in annoyance, one even flipped the card table when Vanil left...
"Suckers..." chuckled Vanil as he slid his full house back up his sleeve
.....
"This here is Vanil, he's the leader of the B-Ranked Slayer group, the 'Helado Gang', their highest rank official group and currently the only one on premises... Will they suffice for you sir?" asked Lien
"Yes, if they come at the recommendation of the Association, then I trust them..." answered Gerard as he pulled his collar in worry from the stares he received from Shear at the door...
"And you Vanil, will this amount work with you?"
"Certainly, the gang's been wantin' a tougher job, especially with the money involved..." answered Vanil, who Lien could swear she saw dollar signs in his eye sockets for a second...
"Alright, I'll let you two work out the details, but the Association has gone through the trouble of providing the intel of their base of operations, so use it wisely..." added Lien
"Certainly Ma'am, alright Helado Gang, SADDLE UP!"
.....
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Post by frankthetriviaman on Apr 13, 2019 2:12:51 GMT -5
Today was rather hectic in this magic city. At various grocery stores around the Magic Underground, people were frantically running for the produce section; with the dissolution of the Almrania Brotherhood, this meant no more Almrania corn.. and as one of the highest regarded products of any magic faction, mages from all over wanted to ensure they got one last ear of the stuff before it was gone forever.
Their legacy would not be forgotten though, as the four remaining members, just before retiring, willed their library’s contents and remaining seeds to the Academy of Magic. Some representative were at the former factions’s base, gathering the various articles.
“Even if it was only one thing they were known for, at least their legacy will not be forgotten” one noted before packing up sacks of seeds and bundles of manuscripts to be taken to the academy for preservation and research purposes.
Similarly, people were flocking to liquor stores to get their share of Falgria wine before it was too late; when news spread about how they had to sell most of their vineyards and production would decline, it was basically “now or never” to stock up.
Whether they were of the six major factions, a minor faction or faction-less, everyone wanted their share
One mage couldn’t help but observe “if only people saw value in the work that these factions did... then maybe people could see the worth in joining factions and being a part of something” he thought.
But alas, the latest generations of mages enjoyed the freedom of not being tied down to factions... and it was something this mage accepted with a sigh before moving on.
......
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Post by Toz76 on Apr 14, 2019 23:03:39 GMT -5
But the "latest generation of mages" was just as upset about this loss too... although they blamed a very different target. After all, it was the Akademie der Magier that bought the Falgrian land and intended to bulldoze it to build a new research building... and in seedy magic dive bars the world over, young mages were meeting to fight back.
This was even happening on Ordos. In the Goddess Of Drinks, a handful of mages were meeting for the first time.
"I used to be a member of the Guild of Damoni, but honestly, they care more about gathering power than actually making life better for us magic users."
"I know how you feel, Silent Night. That's exactly why I left the Academy," replied a large, pale man known as The Duplicator.
"And don't get me started on the Icetouched! For a supposed guild of healers, they sure do love making people suffer!" Added a third figure. "I mean, my name is The Cushion, not The Pincushion!"
"It's just the worst!" A freckled, greenhaired figure known as Kniitwiit set down their mint tea and sighed. "If only there was another faction we could join... somewhere where our talents would actually be appreciated."
"Perhaps I can help." A ruggedly handsome man with a tanned face and a honeyed voice slid up to the four mages. "The name's Denim. Eddie Denim. And I just might know where you and I can find some likeminded folks..."
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Post by frankthetriviaman on Apr 14, 2019 23:58:48 GMT -5
“Could you tell us more about this faction is question?” Silent Night asked
“Wait... this isn’t a pyramid scheme, is it?” The cushion asked
“What does your faction stand for?” The Duplicator asked.
“I’m glad you asked” Denim said as he pulled out some papers
“I’m not sighing up for a pyramid scheme!” The cushion snapped
......
At the Academy, the head staff found themselves in an awkward position as letters were now coming in, insisting on reconsidering their decision to build a new campus on the Falgrian land that had been bought.
“It leaves me to believe... we should at the very least.... postpone any development we had intended on. Knowledge comes in many forms and perhaps we need to consider the worth of these factions. But we can’t force any mage to join a faction any more than we can force a non-magic caster to choose a college major” the headmaster declared
“Yea but let’s face it... who wants to spend their magic career making wine... or growing corn?” A deputy headmaster pointed out.
“I don’t deny that, but still...” the headmaster said, but couldn’t find the words to continue the thought.
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Post by Toz76 on Apr 15, 2019 1:22:07 GMT -5
"We must be pragmatic." Headmaster Luncrett decided. "We still have all of their formulas preserved in our archives, but if we are to train the next generation of mages, our current campus is simply too small. It is a small price to pay for the continued strengthening of our faction. In the meantime, I will call in a favor with Madame Frostovich over at the Icetouched, and get them to include farmland for volunteers to create more corn and wine in their section of the next expansion of the magic underground."
"Why don't we put it on our own land?" advisor Erodelmbud asked.
Advisor Rookulus rolled his eyes. "Isn't it obvious? No one's going to be willing to volunteer. They may act disappointed when the people who make it stop, but no one has the time or their energy to spend weeks of their lives making that wine or whatever. Besides, it's not like the Icetouched ever do anything of value with their land anyway."
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Post by frankthetriviaman on Apr 15, 2019 14:41:32 GMT -5
“I will meet in the middle” Headmaster Luncrett decided. “We don’t want to destroy the academy’s reputation so we will form a pilot program of sorts. A “classical faction outreach” program if you will. Sort of like semesters abroad at non-magic colleges. We will offer a simple trade off: a semester at the falgria land, not just to learn about them and their wine; but the importance of factions like these as a whole in the tradition of magic. In exchange, those who participate in the program, we shall slash their tuition by 33 percent. One semester should be more than enough time to ensure our decision to build a new campus is well founded” he concluded.
“I’ll go make the necessary arrangements” an advisor nodded before the meeting adjourned.
......
Meanwhile, at the dive bars where the young mages were meeting, the fallout from the dissolution of the Almrania Brotherhood was becoming even more apparent.
“Discontinued?! The hell, man? Darfman’s is the best whiskey in the magic world!” One patron fumed at the bartender
“What do you expect? Almrania corn is the primary ingredient! No more corn, no more whiskey, plain and simple. Enjoy it while you can cause we only got 8 more bottles of the stuff” the bartender informed before pouring a glass and handing it over.
First the best wine, now the best whiskey?! Now the youth were really frustrated.
......
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Post by Tug on Apr 15, 2019 17:16:43 GMT -5
Throughout the Greedy American, various individuals were moving around. One giant man grabbed his shotgun off the table as he finished throwing the mook off the balcony who jut tried to pick a fight with him. A woman was calmly walking towards her leader as she quietly pocketed three unsuspecting slayers without them noticing, showing a glowing grin for all to see. A man finished throwing his dart as he grabbed his rifle, hitting the bullseye, with many darts either on the floor or destroyed from all his throws. A woman threatened a man with a knife cutting motion at her throw, stopping the man from his hearty laugh, leading him to gulp in anxiousness. The final man was currently sleeping shotgun on a covered horse drawn cart in the back alleyway as the two horses neighed him awake, forcing him to drop his bottle of Darfmans and rush inside to meet the others.
The six hired slayers soon met their contractor in a private room the Association provided for their meeting.
"As you can see Mr. Gerard, our Helado Gang is a skilled outfit with various capable skills to each member..." spoke Vanil as his five gangmembers stood behind him intimidatingly...
"And what sort of magic do you all possess?" asked Gerard
"Oh, not a single one of us has a speck of magic in our bones..." replied Vanil nonchalantly...
"WHAT!?!?!" shouted Gerard
"Hold your horses partner, I was gettin' to that. We may not be able to cast magic but our weapons certainly do..." replied Vanil as showcased one of his revolvers and popped the chamber, removing a bullet, "Now with the exception of one of our numbers, all our weapons are nonmagical, but the bullets, now that's where the magic comes in. Though weaker than a normal bullet they more than make up for it with their capabilities. Normally bullets are impossible to enchant and a waste of energy to do so on a chaotic battlefield, so that why the magic community hasn't adopted them yet, but due to secret knowledge I happened to come across, I was able to create a magical primer that causes the bullet to turn into a magical element..."
"And what elements are those?" questioned Gerard
"Well there's fire, ice, earth, air, light, darkness, and strangely... honey..." replied Vanil, pretty seriously
"Honey? Why not a water bullet?" asked a confused Gerard
"Water? Have you even used a gun? The bullet turns into the element in the chamber, and if there was a water bullet, it would douse the primer, rendering the ignition moot, and it would also wet the powder, giving you one shot at most..." answered Vanil dumbfounded
"Alright fine... So are you... Um... 'Y'all' confident enough that you can steal me the shards successfully?" posed Gerard
"Mister, there hasn't been a single target I haven't been able to successfully rob..." chuckled one of the woman as she showcased one of Gerard's Magitek fingers, to his chagrin...
"That's enough C.C., but you heard the lil lady, we guarantee contractor satisfaction..." smiled Vanil as he handed Gerard back his finger
"Alright then, I'll wait here for you to bring me the shards, once you bring me them and whatever else the Association wants for their 'bounty collection', I'll pay you for your services..." replied Gerard as he reattached his finger
"Sounds good, let's head out!" ordered Vanil as the six gun gang left the pub...
"What a bunch of weirdos..."
.....
"Boss that man was definitely a greenhorn in hirin' slayers ain't he..." said the crackshot from earlier
"You're right Rhum, he sure was a city-slicker though..." laughed the former sleeping guard
"Doesn't matter B.T., pay is good this time and we're running out of booze money... Oh yeah, and rent's due soon, so we got to pay on time or else the association won't let us store Mone and Moni this month..." replied Vanil as he pet his two best, and only, horses...
"Well we could make the payments if you didn't gamble away most of our earnings..." mocked the threatenin' woman from before
"Yeah, for an 'extraordinary gambler', you sure do get caught cheatin' a lot..." added the thief who had stolen Gerard's finger
"Come on Coco, you know most of those suckers are sore losers anyway... Any you C.C., don't give me that crap when you get caught stealin' as much as I get caught cheatin'..." pleaded Vanil
"No I don't, I just stole a bunch of loot right before that meetin'..." huffed C.C.
"Uh huh, and where is it?" inquired Vanil
"Crap..."
"Hey Boss, should we bring the ammo for 'that'?" asked the giant man carrying the shotgun as he indicated a covered section of the wagon
"Probably for the best Rhodes, I heard these 'Rainbow Folk' are tough mages to deal with, and 'that' thing can shred through magical barriers and mages better than any golem could..." laughed Vanil
"And where exactly are we going to find them?" wondered B.T.
"Well Scotch, the Association provided us their base of operations' location... Which seems to be located in... Kabnekah Swamp..." answered Vanil
"Kabnekah Swamp? There's nothing out there except the ruins of that old town, Marwood I think it was called..." added Coco
"Then that must be where they've hidden their base. Mone, Moni, giddy up!" yelled Vanil as whipped the reins, with Rhodes at his side ridding shotgun, and the other four, Coco, C.C., Rhum, and B.T. Scotch, ridding in the back
"Alright you Rainbow bastards, we're coming for you! Hiyah!"
"Hey, who smashed my last bottle of Darfmans?"
"Shut it Rhum!"
.....
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Post by Toz76 on Apr 15, 2019 18:55:31 GMT -5
At the swamp base, Man In Amber Apricot was looking for something.
"Can I help you?" Woman In Yellow asked.
"Yes, do we have any myth crystals?"
"No, I'm afraid we're fresh out... you'll have to find some at the Goddess Of Drinks."
"I see... that's frustrating."
Man In Amber Apricot left the old hotel, irritated. He stepped out into the swamp and was immediately hit by the smell. The town of Marwood had once been a very successful mining town, and this had once been a normal forest. No one knew exactly what happened, but one day everyone fled the town, and since then it had lain abandoned as the swamp popped up seemingly overnight. Luckily for the Black Faction, they had found a safe way in and out of Marwood, but the old hotel was still the only building most of them used... except for Man In Infrared.
Man In Apricot found his Infrared friend working on the summoning device in a shed behind one of the houses. While the house had partially sunk into the swamp, the shed was on stable ground, and well hidden even from the other colorfolk.
"Bad news. One of us needs to run into town to get those mythcrystals."
"Well, why don't you do it?" Man In Infrared crawled out from under the machine. "I'm working here!"
"Fine, fine... how much longer?"
"Once we have the mythcrystals and the Flowers Of Niwdlab, it'll just be a couple days until the device is ready. Then everyone will see just how mighty we truly are..."
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