[Valentine Quest] - Roleplaying Thread, February 2015

[Bernkastel]

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Limitless Knowledge
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In the gusty northern pineforests of the eastern coast, deep beneath the townhall of Iskael,
a faint candlelight had been burning for the last six years.

This gloomy blue flame poorly lit the sealed library that held the knowledge that had been secured from mortals for centuries, but after the looming approach of the dark days, the door had lost its magical seal, and was openable with a rusty old key of the town mayor.

On the sixth month of the year, five moons before the birth of Mania's newfound way of spreading her glory to the people.
A drowsy teacher of the arcane arts arrived to Iskael, wishing to meet the mayor. She persuaded him to allow her entry to the secret library in order to get new material for her latest grimoire.

Through the promise of fame and possible adoration in the goddess' eyes, the mayor opened the vault, allowing the entry for this magi.

Six moons had passed, and the mayor grew suspicious of the sorceress' intentions. He was certain this thief had already ran off with his precious books that he would sell to whoever offered the most.
He opened the vault once more.

He took a peek inside the library and saw the woman raise her eyes at him with her usual drowsy look. He was a bit startled of the fact that she had been in there for six whole months without anything to eat, and concluded that she had to be some kind of a monster or a spy of the goddess. Locking her in wouldn't be a good idea, but neither would attempting to get rid of her.

He stuttered saying something about just checking on her, after hearing this she simply set her eyes back on the book.

Months passed, and years followed.
The pile of books grew higher and higher.

A bat had grewn quite fond of her during her time there, she decided to call it Ko, it was intended to be something longer but she fell asleep in the process.
Her knowledge was once more extending into even higher limits, despite it being incomprehensible already. The time news of Cupid's execution at a great feast began to spread across the land had come. And the content of the library had suffocated as well.

She ascended the stairs and reached the... Townhall? There was nothing but a ruin left of what once was the lovely town Iskael.

The silent night greeted Kiva with a warm breeze. She stared into the night with a look mixed with surprise and sleepiness. Soon the wind slapped the news in her face. She read through the paper in a steady manner and looked at the bat flying next to her head.

" Ko, you hungry? Good, 'cause I'm not. I believe we should attent to this thing so we can get you some food "

She scuffed along the road that led to Valentine Forest.

 

[Paillan]

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Dante ~ early, late?
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Dante stood up. The news about cupid's aproaching execution had arrived late to him, the birds he overheard where talking about it right now. For the first time in 15 years he interrupted a day of meditation. The second he stood up, he stopped hearing the voices of the birds and could yust hear their singing. He sighted. Even after 15 years he couldn't hear the voice of the few still pure represetants of mother nature. He was only able to do so while meditating. In the past 15 years he had been training his body, mind and swordskill to be unbeatable. Waiting for the day a younger one would come and seek his blades. No one had came before though. He put his swords on his back. And started walking. The morning wind felt good. He stopped when he passed by that spot.

"Good morning, sleeping lord of the ice wing" he said quietly. Nobody answered. As each day he made a pray in front of the statue and cleamed it up. He them stood up.

"I am sorry my friend but I must embarck in a new journey. You can take care of yourself right?" Dante asked

The statue didn't said anything but a weak blue light shone on it for a second. Dante took it for a yes.

"Good. Wish me luck them" Dante said and leaved.

He had been walking for days through the mountains. He finally reached the other side. He them walked towards the place where he knew was the thieves hideout. Soon a thief apeared.

"Ho ho, look what we have here, mattes!" He said

"What is it, captai'n?" Another thief said going out of the trees

"It's a middle age men!" The captain said "looks like an easy target!"

Dante yust ignored them and said "I wish to speak to yarrick. Let me pass"

"Oi oi captai'n. Seems like a smart one!" The second said

"Look fella, we ain't stupid. We can see 'yer swords! Must be one of mania's assasin. Call the others!" The captain said

Dante sighted and took out his two swords

"This is probavly the quickest way to lure him here" he said to the light sword "no, no, no, no. We can't hurt them" he said to the fire sword. He them looked up to he group of thieves that was jumping towards him. He sighted again.

""Yarrick, I will give you some ass slaps for not coming yourself later" he said while blocking the first attack.

 

[kari0003]

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Yarrick, Kiva ~ Beauty in the forest
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Yarrick was hunting in the forest, by himself. He liked to get away from the loud and dirty bandits every once in a while, to think and plan. It's not that he didn't like being with his comrades. Over the past years he became a ruthless and bald warrior and stratega. He seen the world burn, and it burned his feelings too. He swore revenge on Mania, who he held responsible for the death of his friends. He was led by vengeance, but not controlled by it. Most people liked him for his sharp mind, and admired him for his appearance. But he didn't have any close friends.

The horse was left back at a little glade, not so far back. He found a fresh trail, could be a young boar. As he walked trough the bushes, Yarrick noticed movement ahead and raised his bow.

He quietly sneaked forward, and peaked out from behind a tree. He was quite surprised by what he saw. A beautiful woman sitting by the side of the path, seemingly sleeping. She was awake, but she seemed like if she was in the middle of a dream. Yarrick couldn't get his eyes off her. It was maybe something about her beautiful face, maybe the cheeks... Maybe something completely different.

He watched the woman for a few minutes, and the longer he stayed, the more drawing she looked. Finally, Yarrick couldn't stay put anymore. With a crunch in his stomach he stood up.

"Good day, m' lady! Are you lost? It can be dangerous around these woods."


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Dante ~ Camp
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Dante danced with the fool guards. Blocking the attacks, giving a few hits with the face of his sword to the thieves, caring not to hurt them. They were low life outlaws anyways, they didn't receive any weapon training, whatsoever. It just happened that Yarrick stood by their place this week. He was slowly traveling towards Thievenheim, stopping by the known bandit lairs to rest, and to recruit.

A messenger was sent for Yarrick, and the thief returned with a dozen other goons.

"Ya think you are so good with yer swords!" The first thief spoke. "But you are only so good until we cut you up, mate!" He said laughing, and signed the newly arrived thieves to attack.

Dante found himself in a ring of enemies, daggers and swords sticking at him from every side...

 

[Paillan]

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Dante ~ Aura or no Aura?
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Dante sighted once more. Should he use that? it wasn't a good idea though, because he was almost sure noone would survive if he activated it at the 100%. He sighted again.

"What a pain in the ass you are, Yarrick. You haven't changed after..." Dante groaned, and them lifted his fire sword "Magic class defense, shield, fire" He just said

He was instantly engulfed by flames. The Bandits went a step back

"Two sword... a fire aura... could it be?" A thief spoke

"Captai'n! this guy is must be that lost legend Dual blades sire" He said

"You foolish' fool!" The captain said angry "Ya really believe that old'e ladies talk? from the hero of a time 15 years ago yer?!" He them turned to Dante "Ya have guts, mate. But yer magic doesn't scare us! Attack!" He ordered

Dante sighted at the exact second where hundrerds of daggers where thrown towards him and as the swordsmen bandits leaped towards him

"Shield defense, focus throwable, reduce meele block to 40%" He said to the fire sword. He had really get ussed to treat the swords as machine's even though he never had seen a machine before, as far as he coud remember. But he knew about the robo prison, and their infamous robots.

The response of the shield was inmediatelly. All throwed weapons where melted while the leaping enemies where knockback but not seriously burned. Dante sighted again

"Looks like it was too much with 40%... Or did you disobey my again? Magma Demon?" He asked to the fire sword

As a response the sword shone brighter

"As always you do what you want when you want..." Dante sighted

 

[Chen]

@Am'ar, Alexandros is not dead, he's stuck at the spirit world.
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Alexandros and Valentino ~ Valentino's Heart Part 1
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=SPIRIT WORLD=

Even after the years of searching at the spirit world, Alexandros never felt time, even growth, he is stuck at that world and at the age of 27. His goal was to find his old friend, Ryan McDonald to cure him from his curse. It seems impossible, he already went everywhere but still no signs for him. He start to think that Ryan already went to the Heaven...or Hell. He wandered until he tried to return to the Eastern Lands, but he stopped at the Valentine Forest to rest, but he saw that Mania already took the whole forest, this is not like what he seen the last time.

Meanwhile, Valentino still try to communicate some of his old friends to fight for Valentine and Cupid. One of them is Chen, during one Easter, but the panda became insane that time. Now he went to find some spirits or normal people living at the Valentine forest. He saw an elf, wandering, he is also a spirit so he rushed to him. He tried to talk.

"So...You're still here, why not cross over?" He asked the elf. "Anyways, what's your name?" He said before the elf answer.

"I'm not dead yet, I'm trying to find someone, I just asked the God of Light for his help and he sent me here, my name is Alexandros." He answered.

"Oh..." Valentino was shocked that he was not dead yet.

"Anyways, when did Mania took over this forest?" He asked.

"15 years ago, 2014(Not sure but I could change it). You don't know it? Why?" He returned.

"WHAT THE?" Alex exclaimed he started shouting words until Valentino, stopped him and offered him his help.

"I may help you with your problem, but for now, please help me. I will send you to the real world, and retrieve my heart. Please, pretty please." He said. The elf nodded, implying that he agrees.

With one spell, Valentino sent Alex back to the spirit world...

 

[Paillan]

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(So lets get rollin the events!)
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Yarrick, Kiva, Dante ~ messenger
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The messenger finaly had found his leader. He went towards him not noticing the woman and touched his back.

Like a spell was broken, Yarrick suddenly remember where and what he was doing. He turned around to see one of his thiefs.

"Leader, I have news" the messenger stsrted but them stopped. He yust stared at Kiva yust like Yarrick. Yarrick couldn't blame him bu still shacked him.

"Keep yourself together men" Yarrick said "which are the news?"

"Oh right. Sorry leader. A guy with two swords went to the camp and wanted to see ya. Last thing I saw was half of the camp fighting him" he informed

Yarrick made a grim face. Who could be so powerfull to defeat all his thiefs, perhaps one of mania's assasins. He decided not to waste more time.

"Thanks. I will now return to the camp and you follow me" them he turned to kiva "young lady, if you wish you can follow us" he them walked away

After a few minutes he reached the camp. He saw his men had made a circle around a men which was engulfed in fire, like a shield of fire. The men remind him of some one, like a very old memory was pouring his mind

"SPEAK STRANGER!" He shouted "who are you?"

 

[Bernkastel]

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Kiva ~ Sleepwalking
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Ko woke Kiva by pulling her hair, and the drowsy sorceress saw the backs of two men heading away.

She thought for the older guy's words for a moment.
"Young lady...? Follow strangers into a forest? I've read a book about reasons why you shouldn't do that. I've even written my own book about it, isn't that right, Ko?"

She pointed after them yelling, with a stupid look on her face "Just come and try to take me with you if you think yourselves capable of that!"

Nobody answered, and there wasn't anybody to be seen for miles.

"Imbeciles" - She said to herself and continued to walk the path alongside Ko.

 

[kari0003]

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Dante, Yarrick ~ Allies or Enemies
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Yarrick stood face to face with Dante. The thieves retreated when they heard their leader shout. One of them brought Yarrick's scythe, and replaced it with the hunting arrow. The stranger lowered his two swords, and extinguished the fire aura.

"Finally I got your, attention!" He shouted. His raspy voice sounded familiar, but Yarrick couldn't tell why. "If I was here to kill you, you'd be dead by now!"

"I highly doubt that." The bandit lord replied calm, but loud. "But either way, you have a strange way to introduce yourself. I ask again, and for the last time. Who are you?"

"I am just a legend that haunts your kids at night." Dante replied, and swung his swords to show off just a streak of their auras. "I am the Dual Nightmare!"

Yarrick was surprised. He remembered the warrior that caused trouble in Easterland, but he didn't think that he would still be around. Even in a powerful condition.

"And what are your doings here so called Dual Nightmare?" He said the last two words with a teasing voice.

 

[Paillan]

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Dante, Yarrick ~ raspy introductions
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"Tss... you know no manners" Dante just replied "of course I am here to fight mania, what else?! people these days only come here for two reasons! either fight you or fight her! you really are a pain in the ass for her. That's the only thing I give you credit for"

Yarrick lifted an eyebrown

"If that's true, why are you fighting my people?" He asked

"That's their fault. Or your fault. Who knows. I just told them when I came here that I wanted to talk to you. Instead of letting me pass or at least call you inmediately, they attacked me!" Dante said

Yarrick had to grin. That did sound like something his men would do

"They are just loyal, one can't be carefull enought this days" he said "Anyway Dual nightmare" he said still in that fishy tone "Apart from the power of your two swords, what else can you offer?"

"for you, there's nothing. I am waiting for a younger soul come claim my trainings and one of my swords. I normaly wouldn't bother about the whereabouts of the world, but something tells me that if Cupid dies something very bad will happen. The darkness of the void has been moving lately..." Dante said with absent voice

"That doesn't sounds like something I would like to see..." Yarrick said "Good. I will fin you a place, Dual nightmare, but really, that name..."

"Maybe I will tell you my real one at some moment. But now that doesn't matters. We need to plan." Dante finished

 

[kari0003]

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Dante, Yarrick ~ Treason
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The rest of the journey passed uneventfully. Dante joined Yarrick's attendance, and in the evenings they would talk tactics and plans about saving Cupid. They grown quite found of each other, but Yarrick didn't start to trust the Dual Nightmare. He couldn't let his guard down until the mission is over. He understood that Mania is a better strategist than him, and the only chance to win this fight is to stay low, and behind his shield.

When they arrived to Thievenheim, a big crowd of outlaws and warriors welcomed them. The town was full with criminals and warriors of all kinds. They cheered for Yarrick, and rowed Mania. There were a lot of them, but a numerous times bigger crowd was gathering in Valentine's island; Mania's followers.

Yarrick, with Dante and some other well known bandits on his side went to the main hall, where the town's mayor would welcome him, and take his as a guest. The town mayor was a pot-bellied, smiling man, a former merchant. He welcomed Yarrick with open hands:

"Welcome to my home, Yarrick! I looked forward for this day, as this is the first ray of light in the long lasting darkness." He raised his voice, and talked to the crowd. "Today a revolution has started. A revolution that cannot be stopped! Mania's days are numbered!" A big cheer raised from the crowd, and the mayor waited for the silence to return.

"Now, let me invite Yarrick, and his companions for a feast in my home, he must be tired from the long road." He let Yarrick talk a few words to the crowd, and then led the way inside the town's hall.

They entered the big hall, decorated with golden curtains, lighted by hundreds of candles. In the middle there were two rows of table thick with all kinds of food.

...

When the feast arrived to an end, the mayor stood up and asked for a word.

"I am proud to eat by the table of the greatest people of my era. However, you must forgive me as I have to return to my chambers. Yarrick, come to me later in the evening, until then if you need anything, ask my servants and they shall present."

He left the room with hurried steps, and at the moment he left, the room filled with Mania's purple armored soldiers. They blocked every entrance, and drew their swords to arrest Yarrick at the price of blood.

"It's a trap! He sold us out!" Dante shouted.

 

[Paillan]

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((finally something is happening!))
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Dante, Yarrick ~ the real face of the madness
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They where sorrounded. Much of his pity, most of their enemies had bows

"Release shield area limit. Protect 100% block everything incoming with whole strengh!"

A circular aura of fire, weak but still overheating sorrounded the small group where him and Yarrick was.

"Good news this will keep us safe unless they have magic! bad news are the fire is not strong enought to avoid letting them pass due to the large area it's covering. Also I can't move while performing this!" Dante said

"That's something at least. Good, you!" Yarrick said pointing at one of the thiefs "you build us an escape route through the roof or something! and you! "he pointed the other thief" an I are gonna have to hold the position here and not let those archers come pass the shied! hey dual blades, can you do anything with your other blade?"

"Perhaps I can swing it to knockbacks this guys if they come to close. But I've got to hold the fire blade drawn the whole time or the shield will break!" Dante said

"So time is what we need after all! good!" Yarrick said taking out his scythe "Don't let me down Dual blades, I hope your reputation is deserved!"

"Same say I" Dante said. The purple soldiers start attacking.

 

[Chen]

Let's get rollin'
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Alexandros - Valentino's Heart Part II
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Valentino transported Alex to a dark place, decorated with purple banners with the "M" symbol on them and stone gargoyles and a statue of a woman. It is lighted by a lot of candles and purple lamp. below is a pool, a corrupt pool of purple energies and a cave with a door to the north that is possibly the exit. He tried to reach for a candle and got one. He lighted the water, he sees himself, he didn't get older. He is still 27 instead of 42. He smiled as he thought his life will be shorter after he return being a living again. He heard someone or two coming towards the door. He hid behind the statue and threw the candle into the water. The fire is not extinguished but the pool glowed dark blue, and images of lonely spirits appeared. The door opened an Mania entered with a bodyguard. She seen the images and thought someone entered and sabotaged her ritual.

"Spies! Find it and bring it to my palace!" The Maniac Goddess yelled at his guard and teleported away.

"No." The elf said to himself. Frightened, he accidentally pushed the statue and it fell down to the pool. The spirits got disturbed and possessed Alexandros, but with a spell, the guard exorcised him and silenced the spirit and imprisoned them again to the pool. The guard looked similar. He is wearing a hood, and it looks like he has two big ears under them. He is also thinnish and have a normal body, has a brown cloak and a hammer. But he can't clear out who he is. But the guard caught him and teleported to Mania's Palace.

"Mania, my Goddess, here's the spy you asked me to find. He destroyed your statue in your Lake of Insanity. Should I lock him in the deepest part of the dungeon or kill him down with a quick shot of my hammer?" He spoke manly and the elf knew that voice and his way of speaking, but still he don't know who he really is.

"Oh my sweet guardian you can't fail me, you're a bit too...obedient, could you try to be a little rebellious? Oh just joking. Lock him up, I want to talk to him later." She said smoothly but with an evil feel.

The two left and Mania was alone in her throne room. He opened a chest with Valentino's heart. Instead of smelling rotten, it smelled like a perfume, but still grossed the Goddess out.

"Ugh, the stench of love make me sick." She closed it and locked then she sent it away to a secret place with a portal.

 

[kari0003]

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Cerbeo, Cupid, Alexandros~ Dungeon
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Cerbeo fiddled with his keys a little too long. He opened the hard wooden door of the dungeon. It was lunchtime. He passed the corridor, and pressed some stones on the wall in a specific order which caused to a creaking sound, and opened the floor to a dark hole downwards.

The pesky monk muttered some devious words in a long forgotten language, and light started to glow from the hole. The outlines of an obsidian staircase started to form. Cerbeo walked down, with the bowl of food in his hands.

"Here you go!" He tossed forward the bowl, trough the hole in the obsidian door at the bottom of the stairs, which glowed with magic. "Be thankful, its not rotten this time." He said, and turned around.

"Wait, Cerbeo!" A voice asked from the inside of the cell. "Tell me about the weather." The voice was desperate, but kind. "Or at leas tell me how is your leg? Still hurting?"

"Not today, Cupid." Cerbeo answered, with a troublesome voice. "Order has came, orders are strict." He took a few steps, but stopped again. Though his insidious personality, he really liked to chat with his prisoner every once in a while. Maybe because he was the only one except Mania, who didin't despise him for who he is. Cupid was always kind, and understanding.

"The end is near, and we can't risk to lose you until then." He told, and made up his mind. He walked up the stairs, and closed the tunnel.

On his way out the dungeon he could see an elven prisoner being dragged down to the cages. There was something about the elf's eyes, that caught his attention. They were old. Older than his body.


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Dante, Yarrick ~ Escape
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Yarrick leaped towards one of the soldiers. He blocked the attack, and let out a war cry as he turned around and knocked the kid on the ground with his scythe. His enemy wouldn't get up, so Yarrick moved to the next opponent, to the edge of the Aura.

Some of the archers started to move forwards in a shield phalanx, to get Inside the aura, and be able to bring havoc on the bandits.

"Hold them up, the escape route is soon to be ready!" Yarrick shouted, and joined in with the charge of three bandits.

The escape builders threw some tables on each other, creating a ladder. They climbed over the columns and girders like monkeys, and tied ropes to the roof. "Swing over them, and exit trough a window." One of them shouted to Dante, and finished the ties. Just before he got hit by an arrow, and fell down to the middle of the phalanx.

"Escape is ready!" Dante shouted to Yarrick, and swinged his light sword to knock back an attacker. "We must hurry!" But it seemed like Yarrick didn't hear what he said, he was still fighting with the soldiers in the front line...

 

[Paillan]

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Dante, Yarrick ~ Mania's influence
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"Yarrick it's enought" Dante yelled

As yarrick did not respond, Dante sighted and said "release fire shield second speed fire shield grade 4!"

The aura of fire disapeared, and Dante's feet turned on fire. He runned at a very high speed and reached Yarrick yust in time as the shield activated again and protected them both from a rain of arrows

"Are you insane?!" He said holding yarrick's neck

But them he saw his eyes where red and jumped back just i time to dodge the scythe attack

"Mania's magic... they had a mage after all" them he turned to Yarrick "HEY! SNAP OUT OF IT!"

But Yarrick just moved towards him ignoring him

"Fine... I wanted to kick you butt for not comming inmediately after all" Dante lifted the light blade

"You still hadn't see this blade in action. I'll show you. Release light power! Level 1, flash!"
A bright light shone from the blade and Yarrick covered his eyes. Dante used that moment to get close, disarm and them he hit Yarrick in the head with the hilt of the sword until ge fainted. Before lifting him up he gave him a kick

"Asshole... letting yourlself get controlled by mania, you should be ashamed!" He put Yarrick on his back and walked towards the thiefs. All on this seemed pretty familiar, like it was not the first time he helped Yarrick. He shacked his head though and escaped just in time before the mage's broke his barrier.

"Don't look at my like that thieves now get moving! We still have to leave the city!" He said to the thieves that where looking at his unconcious boss. They apeared on the roof of the mayors house

"That army lf thieves that wheren't from you camp where probably disguised mania soldiers. It will probably be full of swarming guys of that kind" Dante said "do not wake up Yarrick yet. The mages are to close. We will get him to the camp" they started.moving

 

[Chen]

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Mania & Shade of Chen ~ Shades and Hearts
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Years following the Bloody Christmas, Mania established almost a whole kingdom in the Valentine Forest, She made Cupid's palace her own, and the forest got dark...completely dark, the lake of broken hearts is made as her pool, she kept the spirits of people she and her army killed there and It empowered her. The Idol of Insanity's force is unstoppable.

Theivenheim is rarely attacked by the Insane Force, making it wealthy and most visited by merchants and travelers who don't want to be killed by Mania's power, even thieves from other places took rest here, and others got hire to scout on Mania, but all else failed.

Mania always have her bodyguard with her since these destruction, he witnessed everything that the goddess have done. But no one but Mania never actually knew who he really is, but he is a spirit, more of a shade of the past, once a servant of Mania that is freed from her influence. He is the Shade of Chen, the last piece of the panda's life, the blood from Dai Quong's sword that she found, was given a life of it's own, a creature of full hate, insanity and darkness.

=Present=

"Are you done of your job my servant?" Mania asked him.

"Yes, although, I feel something that the two of our prisoners are plotting for an escape." He reported directly, the shade spoke darkly, an opposite to Chen's light and calm voice.

"Never worry, little shade, The moment they break out, they'll never see the light again." She said arrogantly while pointing her glowing hand to the door to the dungeon and seems to be charging power to blast the prisoners who may escape any time soon.

A thought entered her head, that maybe Cupid is one of the prisoners planning for something and she said to herself that killing him will be a bad move, since she still wanted something from the Idol of Valentine...

 

[Paillan]

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Dante, Yarrick ~ through the shadows
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The small group moved slowly above the roofs of the town, slowly gaining distance from their enemies while avoiding most fights. They finally left the roofs and landed in a very old, dirty and forggoten well square. While the others took a breath, Dante went for water and threw it in Yarrick's head. He shacked a bit and woke up confused.

"What the hell..." he said touching his head feeling the pain

"You got yourself and your stupid ass controlled by mania's mage's. So I had to knock you down" Dante said

"How did you not get controlled? Or my men?" Yarrick asked

"They where aiming for you. But if they would had tried to control me it wouldn't have worked. One of the powers of my light blade which I can't use normally uses itself when I am in danger. It protects the spirit" Dante explained

"So magic against magic. I should have though about it" Yarrick said. He took a talisman out of his pocket. The talisman had a rather big ice stone on in but the rest seemed pretty simple.

"What? Is that an ice talisman?" Dante asked surprissed

"Yeah, so?" Yarrick said

"Can you convert into a dragon?" Dante asked

"Sadly not. This is not made from the original element, rather I just took an ice stone I got years ago and put it here. I can use ice magic though" Yarrick said

"... what ever. We are making a pause here so you can heal your headache and we take some breath. We have been running in the roofs for at least 3 hours" Dante said

"Okey. Thanks for saving me from being controlled" Yarrick said. He them moved towards the medic of the group and got himself some treatment.

In the night Yarrick woke up suddenly. He saw that Dante was still sitting in his meditation position like the last time he woke up to change the guard.

He sat near him covered with his sleeping bag to avoid the cold. Dante was still wearing his rather light clothes, but Yarrick didn't asked. Instead he focused on finding a reason why he was controlled so easily.

 

[kari0003]

((I jumped forward some time, so we close in on the final events. It's not likely to anyone else would like to join Yarrick's task force anyways.))

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Dante, Yarrick ~ Map
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The small group passed the crowd in the traditional dark blue capes. The Celebration started yesterday, and since then the people who came to the island presented their offerings to the Goddess, preformed rituals, and feasted from the table of Mania.

The island was full with soldiers and guards, so the intruders pulled their hoods to their faces. On the front of the small group walked Yarrick, pushing people out of the way with one hand, and holding the other on the knife under the cape. Unfortunately he couldn't bring his scythe, because it would have looked suspicious.

"This must be the tent." He whispered over his shoulders, to Dante who was following him. "Make sure nobody follows us inside."

Dante nodded, and beckoned to two bandits to guard the tent. After the two took their place at the entrance, Dante followed Yarrick inside.

He couldn't help but notice the stifled smell of thannalis weed in the gloomy atmosphere. Inside one of Mania's soldiers was sitting in the shadow of the corner. Yarrick cautiously approached him.

"Did you bring it? Did anyone follow you?" Yarrick asked in a haste.

"Its alright. I came safe." The soldier responded. "I had to silence one sniffer though, He won't go notice anyone for a while." He revealed a big rusty box he was sitting on. Yarrick leaned forward.

"Show me." He said excited. Dante pulled forward too. He knew about most of the plan, the diversion at the gates, and the rebel in the prison, but Yarrick didn't tell anyone anything on how will they get to Cupid.

The soldier straitened a small piece of paper in his hands. The rolled it out, and handed it to Yarrick. It was a map. A map that revealed the prison, and the entrance to the secret floor.

"One more thing." The soldier said, as Yarrick examined the map. "You will need the pest. That monk is the only..."

"Alright." Yarrick interrupted. "We need to hurry now. The key is to get to Cupid before they bring him up!" He turned around, to leave the tent. Just before he was to step out he turned his head. "Thanks again."

The soldier nodded, and returned to his smouldering thannalis joint.

 

[Paillan]

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((was about time you gave up waiting for more people...))
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Dante, Yarrick ~ To the dungeons
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The small group moved slowly and unnoticed until they reached the sewers of the town. It smelled awfull but they didn't mind and walked inside it, through the small corridors full with the smell of mania's mishief. Following the map they finally got where they wanted and opened slowly their exist. They where now in the lowest layer of mania's lair, where she threw all kinds of disgusting stuff. They had to go up, so they hurried.
The bright light was distrcting Dante and he couldn't see there was a pattern on it. Something already knew they where there, and was surely going to stop them at any cost.
The group keep walking, getting closer and closer to a big room there was before their target. When they reached it they went out the stairs slowly, awaiting a trap. They walked slowly through the room.

 

[kari0003]

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Dante, Yarrick ~ Creature of Darkness
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They were halfway through, when the bandit on the back broke out in screams. He didn't have much time to suffer though, the creature threw them to a wall, where he lost consciousness on the impact. His skin turned black where the creature touched him, and he didn't look like he would wake up any time soon.

The creature on the other hand was very awake. With six dark tentacles springing out from a black smoke cloud it was charging towards the group.

"Where did it come from?!" Another bandit screamed. They didn't see anything behind them until now. "God of Light help us!" All of the bandits were afraid. During their lives they hardly met any magical creatures. Mostly they were hunting for rich travelers, and caravans.

"We can not fight it with knifes!" Yarrick shouted, and looked towards the exit of the other side of the room. "RUN!!"

Creature of Darkness

 

[Paillan]

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Dante, Yarrick ~ Run to the stairs
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As the creature's where moving fast towards them, the group turn around and run. A part of the men went to lift their unconcious mates. As they where running towards the stair, more of this creature's fell from the roof, which they could not see due to the darkness.

"They are attached to the roof!" Yarrick screamed "move in zigzag!" he ordered

As he ordered, more nasty creature's fell from the roof, partially blocking their path for most of them.

"Tsk... you know something I don't get? the fact they treat us as trash sending towards us this shitty creatures" Dante says stopping "Nononono, you won't see me running mania. I never run or hide of you, I just don't care about you. But for the sake of balance I must fight you. At least for now" Dante ended his speech and took out two knives, and put himself into defensive stance. He them runned towards the creature's without saying anything, and cut the eye of some of them while evading most attacks

"HERE'S YOU PATH YARRICK! MOVE ON! WE'ILL SEE LATER!" Dante said killing more and more creature's as he was being sorrounded, most creature's turning attention towards him

"He is a monster... killing those things with only those knives, without even flintching" One of the bandits said

"He reminds me of someone from that time 15 years ago. Just as arrogant, mad and deadly as him" Yarrick said to himself

"Hey dual blades!" He said while passing by "Don't even think about dying here!"

"Far from it! I am quite enjoying myself! and I still have to give my blades to a younger soul! I won't let you touch them!" Dante answered taking breath "Pray and fear towards your creator, creature's, because soon you will see you end!" He said taking down more creature's. But them he saw himself over runned and screamed.

"Yarrick! Seal the gate! I don't care how yust do it!" That was the last thing Yarrick could hear from the bottom, he was to far away already to hear more.

 

[kari0003]

((Just to be clear, Yarrick supposedly continued his run for Cupid. He left Dante behind as collateral damage))

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Dante, Cerbeo ~ Monk
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Dante woke up on a pallet. The warty faced monk stood at his head. He was making an ugly grimace as he covered the blackened skin with some kind of magical oil.

"Ah!" Cerbeo said with his squeaky voice. "Awake already? Impressive." He didn't stop massaging Dante's skin, and that made the latter quite angry. He tried to push off the monk's hand, but it was hard to move.

"Let me." The monk insisted. "You were touched at numerous places. You will be lucky if you can walk again." He annoyingly laughed. "But the black scars will always be there on your skin. Its not a good idea to piss of a mandroge." He laughed again, than the grim disappeared from his face. "What were you doing down there anyways?"

"N.. None. Of. Your. Business.." Dante whispered, but every word was thousand pains to say.

Cerbeo just turned his head away. "You will talk eventually. Its not likely that you can escape from my questions in the next couple of days anyways.." He laughed again, and stood up from the bed.

"See you soon, please rest so you will be able to talk next time." Cerbeo walked out, and closed the prison cell behind him. The monk was going to bring out Cupid from his cell, and let Mania start the execution ceremony.

Dante looked around. A narrow window lighted the room in. Dante could see the sun's position, and the fact hit him. The Execution ceremony was about to start, and with it the prison rebel too.

 

[Paillan]

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((that's creepy indeed))
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Dante ~ Bless the sun
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Tied up and with the pain he had, Dante couldn't think of any good ideas to get out of the current situation. If his light sword would had been there, it's sealed magic would have protected him and he wouldn't be there in the first place. Too bad, he had begin to get used to the swords. He took a long breath and looked at the sun.

"Huh, it's almost as if the god of light is laughing at me..." Dante said quietly

But something seemed out of place. The light was too shinny. And it was getting closer. Dante suddenly remembered his first memory. The massive amount of light comming toward him.

"Has... it already caught me up? did my past lives already find me? ... ah... bless the sun..." Dante said closing his eyes

the window shaterred, and a female angel stood before him

"It's you..." Dante said opening his eyes "how did me find me..."

"Do not Talk" The soul of his light sword said "you are too weak. It will take time to fix you up. at least 2 hours. one and half if you are brave though"

"Make it be... 1" Dante said and closed his eyes

"You are gonna puke more than just blood..." The soul said comming closer

"If I can't get over this... how could I... ever look at his face again..." Dante said smiling

The soul put his hand over Dante, and he forced himself not to scream as all the darkness from his wound was being forced to leave his body.

 

[kari0003]

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Mania, Cupid, Cerbeo, Yarrick ~ Time
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Cerbeo finally reached the gates. He got bruises from the attack on the escort team, but he was happy that they managed to secure the situation. Right after he opened Cupid's cell, and ordered the eight guards to bring him forward, a cold smoke filled the narrow staircase, and ice shreds rained on the group. The monk had to cover his face, and stay low to minimize the damage. One of the guards got badly injured anyways.

Cerbeo was happy to realize that after the blizzard was over, Cupid was still in his cage, and the guards got the attacker knocked out. A bandit disguised in a maniac cape - Yarrick. They caught him after he rushed into the cell, and tried to get Cupid out. Two of the guards carried him to an upper level of the prison, and the rest followed Cerbeo and Cupid to the execution ceremony.

The crowd was huge. The execution podium was in the middle of the crowd, with a beautifully decorated altar on it. Mania was on the platform, speaking to the crowd with passion. As the guards led Cupid forward, he looked cold and dim. Not living up to his usual charm. Halfway trough the crowd, a messenger reached Cerbeo from behind. He whispered something in the monks ears.

"Pardon me, there has been a breach in the prisons. I must hurry back." He said to the first guard. "Carry on from here, bring him to Mania." After his words he turned around, and hurried back to the temple.

"Here he is! The last deceptor!" He could hear Manias words from behind, as the ceremony begun.

 

[Paillan]

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Dante ~ there's no time for that
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Dante could hear Mania's speech. Only 30 minutes had passed since the soul of his sword started healing him. He had been itching in pain as she was draining as much darkness as she could, tearing apart his inner flesh more and more with the process.

"It's insane..." She said "Even if you stand up, what could you do in such condition? I should better go on at a normal speed"

"There's... no time for that... I can be... raplaced... but cupid not..." Dante said and tried to stand up

"There's still darkness in your body and you are severly injured... please... stop!" She pledged

"The sun... for some reason it's so beautifull... it burns... burning... where's my fire sword?" Dante just said

"Right here" another soul said apearing in the room "You look patetic, I can't believe you hold our power"

"There's no time for that asshole!" The female soul said "Just go back to sword form!"

"Alright alright... you do the same..." He said. Them two metal sound where heard at the same time, and the two swords where there and Dante was left alone. He crabled from the table and took the two, slowly standing up

"There's a point... where the human soul isn't valuable anymore... and it's only goal... is to save the soul of others... the strenght used to save another soul... is the strongest force in the universe..." Dante holded his two swords high and said "give me the strenght to break this limits and save a soul!" He screamed this last part and destroyed the door, and somehow managed to start running towards the podium, following the sounds. He got closer, and closer. When he was finally before the stair that would lead him out of the podium, somebody was going down.

 

[kari0003]

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Mania, Cupid, Yarrick ~ The End of a life
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Mania was furious in the inside. She couldn't end the ceremony, because the crowd wanted for blood. How could his servants make this mistake?

.......

"With this day, a new era begins! An era with truth, an era of higher consciousness!" The Godess of insanity spoke with crowd. Happy cheers could be heard. "Today is a beautiful day, because we finally expelled the monsters from this world." She smiled, and the crowd broke out in a hurrah. She stepped over Cupid, and raised his head by the hair.
"Did you come to your senses deceptor? Are you accepting me now?" Mania asked.

Cupid slowly opened his eyes. His skin looked cold, and his eyes were tired. There was nothing of the lovely aura of his. Nothing of the sparks from more then a decade ago. He was just a shell, nothing more.

"I have one thing to say to you." He spoke up. "This world will never be yours! Never!" He lost his balance as he looked up, and Mania had to stop him from falling to the ground again.

"This one last time you spoke the truth, old enemy." Mania chanted. "It will never be mine, but the people's who are living in it. The world has already accepted my order, as it was destined to. This world could already mine, and I gave it to the people!" She stood in silence for a while, to let the crowd cheer.

"Now your end has come." Mania raised her voice again. "Prepare to die!" She preformed the ritual with five monks, to prepare Cupid. They placed his body on the altar, and tied his hands and legs.

"With cleansing his body from his mind, this world will grow clean too!" Mania said, and raised a beautiful dagger. The crowd fiercely chanted Mania's name in excitement.

Finally the dagger dropped, and thrust trough the victim's hearth. Mania stood victorious above the dead body, as the blood started to flow down at the sides of the altar. The crowd cheered, but she could see from the corner of her eyes the thin layer of ice shattered. The layer that covered the whole body, changing the looks of a man. The dead hand finally opened, and the ice medallion it was straitened fell on the ground.

 

[Paillan]

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((so yarrick's dead... i'll just make a post where my character somehow survives. He needs to live until he can teach swordsfighting to someone else, and give him the blades. And that WONT be one of my characters))

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Dante, Cupid ~ Light of hope
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Cupid and Dante had kept running ever since. Dante found a shame not to reclaim Yarrick's talisman, but with mania gone crazy and him severly injured (although the sword was slowly healing him) he had no chance but grab Cupid who had disguissed as Yarrick and in a quick manuever, releasing a strong fire wind, escaping. Mania was now searching for them personally, alongside with her soldiers. So Dante and Cupid kept running and running, ocasionally choping heads. This way they where able to secure a route of the the mad place and left at a hurry towards the mountains. Cupid and Dante finally reached the base of the thieves and took a breath. Dante informed quickly, gathered some thieves and diguised as mania soldiers, aiming to return to the town to get two things: Yarrick's talisman and if lucky, Cupid's weapons.
Before embarking, Cupid tried to stop him
"Don't do such foolness. We barely escaped. You should run"

"Cupid" Dante said "I actually don't care about you from here to the future. I just felt that your dead wasn't good for all of us. I normally keep myself away from problems and try to maintain balance. But a good friend died to keep you alive. And I will give him at least a memento. Dante never breaks his promises..."

Cupid lifted and eyebrown to that name but said nothing. He said goodbye and left in order to find a better, more secluded hidding.
Dante went towards the rising sun, to get the memento of yarrick.