Tournament of Champions 3 (The game has begun!)

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  • About 12 hours or so remains until I will begin writing the first fight, between Akuma and Nilani

    In 12 hours I will no longer take any more story blurps in consideration.

    The fight between Niran and Aeryn will take place sometime soon thereafter.  
  • edited September 2020
    Reinforcement of Champions

    Aeryn spent the next three days taking turns at the camp and in the city to help people, no matter how much she knew of an inevitable war destination. Everyone was surrounded, surrounded by abyssal power and civil war.
    On one of these days, while Nyrea in her astral form was meditating, Aeryn observed a strong and fast light coming towards them in the skies. The closer you got, you could see wings flapping. The sun was at its peak and Aeryn placing her hands on her forehead still had difficulty understanding. She smiled.
    It didn't take long for that apparition to land with extreme brutality, but in an objective and imposing way in front of Aeryn. Nyrea got scared and got up from meditation.
    "Brynn ?!", the sword was surprised. Brynn took off her helmet and greeted Aeryn and did not understand who that other woman was who called her name.
    '' Glad you came, Brynn. '', He held out her hand to the angel who quickly reciprocated, but still looking at the other woman with blond hair.
    ''I got your message. I was able to find out some information about ... who is she anyway? '' Brynn pointed out without any minors to Nyrea.
    Aeryn smiled again, raising her hand to Nyrea. The astral form soon disappeared making the sword stop right in Aeryn's hands. She did a little stunt and ambanged the sword.
    ''Long story, but you already knew I had a ''magic '' sword so to speak. ''
    "Fair," Brynn returned to her reasoning. "Yes, I found a way to defeat the shadows, but the way you described it looks like we have a lot of problems."
    Nyrea quickly appeared again, startling Brynn slightly.
    ''So the letter you sent was for her? And the others?''
    ''The others? Well, I don't think it will be easy for others to respond quickly, in addition to being surrounded. I figured only Brynn could make it. ''
    Brynn intervened.
    '' It wasn't that easy. The skies of Vosanova are full of dragons, but I won't lie ... it would be an interesting fight ... In my favor, of course. ''
    Aeryn took on a more serious tone after the brief conversation. Brynn spoke again.
    "As I said, I discovered something that can help against the shadows," at that moment Brynn pulled out a sword and slowly a white flame appeared in it. '' After much study, I was able to discover this magical form that manages to repel the abyssal shadows a little. it took me some time, in addition to some of my best swords. It's not just any metal that supports this strength, but I won't lie, my angel essence helped to manipulate faster. ''
    Aeryn was surprised that she, too, had discovered and controlled the flame. It was time for her to show that she, too, had found the same solution. Aeryn asked Nyrea again that the white flame slowly filled her.
    "I think we managed to follow different paths with similar results, but it was not only to fight that I specifically called you"
    Aeryn closed her eyes taking a deep breath. He took part of the jamb a little in pain, but because of the weight of the armor. She had her shoulder bandaged and took off part of it showing a matte black mark. ''
    ''Well, I was touched twice by this abyssal force and as much as Nyrea helped me with the white flame, it seems that it is not being enough to prevent it from corroding my body physically. I am at peace with my decisions, but I feel that something is still inside me. ''
    Brynn studied the mark and moved her lips as if she were talking to herself thinking of the lessons she had learned about abyssal strength.
    Aeryn quickly closed the banner and spoke again.
    "Nyrea, I must, in case I don't survive, I want you to grant the manipulation to Brynn."
    Nyrea and Brynn were surprised, but Nyrea with a friendly expression replied.
    ''I know Brynn wielded me in the fight, but it was under different circumstances. Brynn is an angel, and my ancestral power does not work with pure powers by essence, regardless of the direction these beings take'', Nyrea looked sideways at Brynn. '' My power is for humans. Unfortunately she will be able to sheathe me if I allow it, but without using the powers.''
    Aeryn sat up abruptly in the chair.
    "So we have to find a quick cure for it ... and ultimately a worthy carrier."


    With @SpellPiper2213 permission to use the character.
  • edited September 2020
    (I couldn't post before. It was full of work (I still am. Lmao)
    @MonkeyPirate2002 You can leave it your way, no problem)
  • Are there going to be matches for third place after the semi finals?
  • late, but here's a card to represent Akuma's new oath

  • edited September 2020
    Semi final 1 - Introduction

    The rain kept pouring down but it did not matter. The red flames and clouds of black  smoke in the distance, did not die out as the city was turned to ash. Akuma sat on her knees in the deep mud. She was covered in it and drenched in blood, with multiple bodies of Medirnian soldiers lying around her. It did not matter how many she killed, how many she saved, the wrath of Medirna was stubborn and refused to calm down. 
    She stared with tearful eyes at the city where the bodies of soldiers and citizens, old and young, were brought out to be stripped and thrown in a huge pile. The bodies was used to feed the many dragons that occupied the night sky. Akuma had tried to count them but got lost after thirty. 

    She looked over her shoulder were the families she had just saved, treated their wounds and gathered their things from the deep mud. It did not matter, they would die before this war was over anyway. She could not save them forever, she could not save everyone, she could not kill every man who wanted to kill and loot them. She looked towards the Medirnian camp where thousands of black and red tents had been put up. Maybe she could save one person-. She looked at the largest tent that was decorated with banners and a iron statue at the entrance. -or kill one, it would be enough.  

    Could she sneak past ten thousand soldiers and so many dragons, and make it into that tent? Would that even make a difference? Maybe the war would stop or maybe it would only turn worse, for people like them. Akuma looked back at the families. She looked at her blade that was red of blood. A quick death would be the most merciful option for them, probably. No one could outrun that man, those dragons, those soldiers. Maybe that is what I should. I cannot fight, must I run? 

    After some time thinking, she stood and walked to a horse that had belonged to a Medirnian soldier. "If I can save one life, I'll save hers." She thought as she mounted the horse and rode away.




    The sun was descending towards the horizon. Nilani sat beside a forgotten body in the western Ovan field. It was a young Medirnian soldier, probably not even 20 years old. that had fallen into a hole in the ground. Half his skull was crushed as a horse had trampled over him. She held one hand on the boy. She felt his soul residing within the cold broken body, waiting to be guided.
    "I cannot guide you to the afterlife, but I can guide you to a place where you will find peace." She said. 

    The soul did not react, another sign that his death was violent but quick. She decided to do it anyway as he had already been forgotten, he could be waiting for months without guidance otherwise. She put the other hand on the body and began channeling her dark magic to cut the last strings that kept the body and soul unified. Then she reinforced the soul to give it a pseudo-ethereal form so it could exist outside of the body. She then pulled the soul and out from the mouth, nose and the broken skull came a shadow, similar to those in the abyss. She felt the shadow looking at her own soul. Lastly, she found the flow of magical energy sweeping through the world, and she released the boy's soul into it. Before too long, before his ethereal form diminished, he would have found his way into the abyss where he could find peace at last. 

    She then took of the cloths that indicated whose army the boy had fought for, and dragged him into the open. Without the cloths, the priests would not be able to find out his origin so they would bury him like the other Ovan. It was not the best way but she had little choice if she did not want the boy to rot in some hole with the other Medirnian dead. "That was the twelfth one. I hope there are not many left." She thought as she watch the sun descend beneath the horizon where a person on a horse just appeared. 
    Nilani kept looking at the approaching rider. Something felt familiar about the person.

    "Akuma?" She thought. "Hey Akuma!" She shouted. She shone with happiness yet she had a ill felling. Akuma turned and rode straight towards Nilani. "Nilani, Hi!" She shouted back. 

    Akuma came up to her and unmounted her horse upon which Nilani walked towards her. They both initially wanted to hug each other but both had an ill felling.

    "I, I missed you, Nilani" Akuma said as she glared on the body behind Nilani. "Why did you not come back to me?" 
    "Ehm. I, I couldn't..." Nilani became quiet. She noticed the dried blood in Akuma's clothes and her glaring at the body. "What happened to you." Nilani said. 
    "I saw another Medirnian army, the largest one yet. It has over ten thousand men and at the very least thirty dragons. Vosanova and Ovan cannot hold back against that. We should escape." Akuma said. 

    "Escape, but what about the people?" 
    "We cannot save them. They are too many."
    "We cannot give up. We should at least try."
    "I have already tried!... There is nothing we can do."
    Nilani was a little shocked by Akuma shouting. "So you are saying that we should just leave them, abandon them? Is that what you are saying." 
    "We have no choice. We are not strong enough."
    "I am or at least I can be." Nilani gave Akuma a dark look in her eyes. "I won't leave them to die, like my parents. I will give them a chance to survive." 

    Akuma looked back at the body. His lips, nose, eyelids and blood had begun to turn darl grey. "What did you do to him?" 
    "I guided him." Nilani said, almost a little angry as she knew what Akuma would say. 
    "Guided him? What? How?... Where?" 
    "I guided him to where he will have peace."
    "Where did you guide him?" 
    Nilani looked at Akuma for a moment, silent."
    "I sent him to the abyss." 

    Akuma backed off. "The abyss? You guided him yo the abyss? Do even know what you are saying, what you have done? Did you not remember what the abyss did to the tournament, what it made Niran do? All the suffering that it has caused? Have you forgotten!?"
    "I haven't forgotten anything!"
    "Yet still you choice to submit to it. You even send souls to what is literary hell."
    "It is not hell. It is the abyss and it is peaceful."
    "You have been corrupted, Nilani."
    "I made a choice. A choice you don't understand. This world needs balance." 
    "You have been blinded. You have lost who you are but you cannot see it."

    Akuma drew her sword, something that Nilani clearly saw. 
    "Leave, Akuma. This is not your fight." 
    "This is my fight because I fight for you. I fight Against this monster that looks like Nilani. I will release you, Nilani, from this prison you have made. I will help you, even if I have to kill you." Akuma began to cry. 


    "Please leave, Akuma."

    "I will not, not without Nilani."


  • edited September 2020
    @Jonteman93 for future reference, Akuma is stubborn enough to stay and fight, even if it means taking on an entire army. Also she's strictly against killing humans (void monsters are fair game). Whether or not she'd kill Nilani.............. I have legit no idea. She really really really doesnt want to, that's for sure.
  • Semi Final 1 - (Part 1/2)
    @Usaername vs @shadow123
      VS 
      VS  

      

    Nilani reached out her left hand and flames of black and gold burst out from her palm. 
    Small cracks glowing of yellow and black light began to form on her arm. 

    "I won't go with you, Akuma. I have nothing and no one to escape to, but I have a purpose I must fulfill. Why can you not see that?"

    "You have me and yourself. You can not save them but you can save yourself." 

    "I can save them, and I will!" 

    Balls of black and gold energy flew out from the flame in Nilani's hand, all across the field. One after another, they flew straight down into the ground. For a short moment, the grass covered field was glowing with dark yellow light before it dimmed and returned to normal. Then after a few seconds, where the energy balls had penetrated the ground, the grass turned grey and withered. Akuma prepared herself as she put her hand on her sword's handle. 

    From the withered grass, dark shadows of fallen men and even horses rose up. They were filled with black and golden energy that almost appeared as flames inside their ethereal forms. They approached Akuma. 

    Akuma held her hands ready with the blade still sheathed. As the first shadow approached her, a cross of dim light began to shiver in the air before her. Then when the shadow walked through the light, Akuma drew her sword with extreme speed. She cut a line equal to that of the shivering cross, and a bright light of white smoke and lighting erupted from it. Akuma stroke again to fulfill the cross. Flames and lightning erupted in the white smoke, and the shadow vanished. 

    Akuma dashed to the next shadow and cleaved straight through it with a turning motion. The shadow was unaffected by the attack, so Akuma moved back a step and lowered herself with the sword behind her back. She remained still, while the shadow turned around and continued to approach her. She waited still. Then when a horizontal line of shivering light appeared just as the shadow came over her, she struck with her sword. 
    The shadow fell as smoke and lighting erupted around it, before it vanished.   

    The ground was shaking as the shadow of a horse came running towards Akuma. She jumped to the side as she twisted her body around and landed on her feet. The horse stopped a little further away where it turned around and approached Akuma once again. She held her sword firmly in her hand but the horse was too fast, so she had to dodge to the side one again. Just then, another shadow of a man came over her. The shadow punched her in her face and grabbed her by the neck. 

    "Leave, Akuma, go away. I don't want to kill you!" Nilani yelled. 

    Akuma, still holding her sword, focused on her ability while the shadow was draining her energy. When the shivering light finally appeared, she cut the shadow and fell to the ground. The shadow vanished. Her head was pounding and hurting. She looked up-. Her vision was darkened and pulsating. -and saw the horse turn towards her once again. She showed teeth as she sheathed the sword while not losing eye contact with the horse. She braced herself, she took slower and slower breaths, she firmed her grip on the sword handle. The ground was shaking to the approaching horse's hooves. No light appeared. 

    The horse trampled over Akuma. When the horse rode away, Akuma rose up on her knees. A screaming pain filled her left hand. She look at the place were the horse had broken her hand and turned it blue. She still held her right hand on the sword handle. She grinded her teeth as she stood up, facing the horse. The horse turned around more and approached her again. Akuma held her breath, she shut her eyes, she shut her mind. She felt the ground shake beneath her feet but she tried not to be disturbed. She remained still. The horse came closer. Then, a light appeared inside her mind before her. She took a step back and drew the sword with unbreakable determination. An explosion thunder  broke the silence. 

    She opened her eyes and saw the eyes burning in white flame and covered in white smoke and lightning. The horse lost its form as it turned to black smoke and vanished into nothingness. A large number of shadows of both men and horses stood around the field and looked at her. They did not move. Akuma sheathed the sword and slowly walked towards Nilani. No words were exchanged between them. The shadows did not move. 

    Akuma stopped just before Nilani. They looked at each other. Akuma forced herself to reach out her hands. Nilani looked at them for a moment before she put her own hands in them. The golden light from her cracked hands looked almost warm as it touched Akuma's hands. The golden light made Akuma's broken hand almost look healthy. They just stood there, silent. The wind was blowing through the blood-covered grass and the withered. The sun's last light disappears beneath the horizon. Akuma looked at Nilani, and the shivering light that appeared at her chest. 


  • Semi Final 1 - (Part 2/2)

    All within a fraction of a second, she released Nilani's left hand and grabbed her sword. She took a step back and let the sword out of its scabbard, swinging towards Nilani. 
    The silence was broken by a striking thunder and the warmth of the burning smoke. Then the clinging sound of breaking metal. Akuma fell to the side, she dropped the hilt as she touched the withered grass. She looked up at Nilani. She was unharmed and beside her stood a large golden Invocation with a black heart. In its hand, it held the broken upper half of Akuma's blade which it dropped to the ground. 


    "Good bye, Akuma." 

    Nilani walked away from her. She dismissed the invocation, and she let the shadows flow with the wind to the abyss. She felt a difficulty about it, about sparing Akuma. It was almost obvious to her that Akuma would have been the last person she would spare. The smoke was blinding her mind but leaving her purpose intact. She stopped for a moment, she wanted to look back at Akuma but decided not to. She had chosen this yet it felt no better, being completely alone. 

    She was not alone. She felt something, she looked to her side and saw one shadow that she had not let go standing not far from her. She moved her hand to released the shadow to the wind, but nothing happened. The shadow approached her. Nilani tried again, yet nothing happened. She watched the shadow walking towards her. It was not filled with either black or golden flames, it was in fact not filled with any energy at all. It had no ethereal form to keep itself from vanishing into the nothingness yet it was intact. The grass did not wither as it walked past it. As the shadow came closer, Nilani saw that it was not even a shadow of a man, but a young girl. 

    Nilani did not say anything. What was there to say to a shadow? The girl's shadow raised her hand towards Nilani. She grabbed it, and the girl began to lead her back towards Ovan Nova. 
  • edited September 2020
    Semi Final 1 - Winner!
    @shadow123
     

    Congratulations! 
    Nilani has grown more powerful than many. She could have lost to her only and maybe even last friend today, but her purpose did not allow it. Thus she won the first match of fate. Nilani may now prepare herself for the final match.  

    You may now make a choice. 
    - increase Nilani's maximum mana cost to 7.
    - add a new signature or companion card. 

    You may change the cards you already have as long as they follow the restriction put on them by the choices you've made. 

    I wish you good fortune in the conclusion of the tournament. 



    @Usaername
    If one must always win, one must always lose. 

    Akuma lost today. She had a great story and good cards, sadly to reach the final match she would have needed more. choices could have been made. 

    She was put in a difficult situation where all her values could not be upheld anymore. Maybe now she can seek a new purpose, maybe still in Avelaide, or home.  


    Since you made it to the semi finals, you will receive a price for coming 4th or 3rd place. Which one of them will be revealed after the next match. 
    This means that I  personally won't write a bronze match. 

    Otherwise I hope that you want to stay to continue participate in the game, even if so only to read. The more the merrier.
    Thank you once again, Usaername, for participating in the third tournament of champions! 
  • Congrats to both Usaername and Shadow for reaching this far!

    Now all that’s left to do is anxiously wait for mine and Cass’s match...

    Good luck @CassZero !
  • Of course
    Good luck too @MonkeyPirate2002
  • edited September 2020
    I had an epilogue planned for Akuma based on her plan to fight the war, but her sudden nihilism (I have no idea why that happened) and insistence on running away has rendered that impossible. Hell, last I checked, Nilani was the one who was going to escape. Doesn't matter. Anyways, Here's the new epilogue:

    -<0>-

    Akuma watched Nilani walk away. Spots danced in her vision, and her head was awash with pain. She tried to sit up off the ground, but her head protested, screaming in pain. She coughed, and her throat felt like it was on fire. She reached forward with her left hand to pull herself along the ground, but as soon as she applied pressure, lances of pain from her mangled fingers shot like razors up her arm.

    She instinctively unclenched her hand, and she realized she had been holding something. Naku Tsuki's broken hilt tumbled from her grasp. Akuma's breath caught in her throat. 

    The tsuba had been shattered, leaving a jagged circle of metal, and the blade had been snapped off two centimeters from the handle. Tears filled her vision as she scrabbled about on the ground, looking for the rest of the blade. 

    She eventually found it. It had shattered into shards, scattered fragments of metal reflecting the dreary sky. Akuma cried. Her Naku Tsuki, the great crescent moon, turned to scrap metal. She feebly scooped up the shards, ignoring the pain as they cut deep into her hands, and laid them out in a ring, placing the hilt in the center.

    A final rite for a lost companion.

    Despite the screaming pain in her head, Akuma forced herself to her knees, then to her feet. She tried to take a step, but collapsed under the pain and fell to the ground, where she lay, unmoving.

    -<0>-

    Akuma woke sometime later in a bed that was not hers. She was in a dark room, wearing only a light gown. Several of her possessions were tucked into a corner of the room. She reached her hand out toward the candle on her nightstand, but for some reason, she couldn't seem to grab it. As her eyes adjusted to the dim light, she saw the reason.

    Her hand was gone, as was her forearm. All that remained of her left arm was her upper arm above the elbow, ending in a blood-soaked bandage. She immediately sat up in bed, which caused her vision to dissolve briefly into static. 

    No. no. no no no no no no NO.

    She screamed, but it caught in her throat, and turned into an incessant cough. She threw off the covers and tried to stand, but her right leg was twitching, and it was impossible to put weight on it. She slumped against the wall and slid to the floor.

    A man in a long white coat rushed in through the door, holding a notebook.

    "Ah, you're awake"

    Akuma pushed herself into the corner, where she grabbed Zyletka from among her belongings. She drew the sword and brandished it at the man.

    "What did you do to me!?"

    The man put up his hands.

    "Your hand was broken beyond repair, not to mention shredded beyond recognizability. By the time you were found, it had gotten infected, and the infection had travelled considerably up your arm. Additionally, you suffered from a punctured lung, which may have lasting consequences like a shortness of breath, so make sure to lay off any hard activity. Thirdly, you took several nasty blows to the head. You have a serious concussion, which may cause shaking or twitching in your right arm and leg for the rest of your life. Lastly, several of the nerves in your hand were damaged, which may cause shaking or loss of feeling in your hand."

    Akuma's eyes widened in horror. Her grip tightened on Zyletka, and her breathing grew rapid as tears brimmed at her eyes.

    "I know it sounds like a lot, but please, try to slow your breathing and remain calm, it-"

    He was cut off as, in a fit of rage, Akuma grabbed him by the collar and used Zyletka to slit his throat. He collapsed, blood spraying from his neck and covering Akuma's gown.

    Akuma ran, blinded by tears and panic

    Is this the end, then?

    Out the door to her room and down a long hallway

    Ironic, Isn't it. I'm back at the very beginning.

    A turn, then down another hallway

    Dishonorable, driven by rage.

    Up a flight of stairs

    Completely alone.

    Through a door and across an attic

    No hope for a future.

    Out the window and out onto the roof

    I'll do what I should have done the first time.

    Akuma climbed to the top of the roof and laid down, Zylekta clenched still in her hand. The stars were beautiful, a splash of light across a darkened sky. They reminded her of home.

    How fitting, Akuma thought. One last look at the stars.

    Akuma held Zyletka up to her neck.

    The finality of the moment comforted Akuma. She thought about everything that had happened since the start of the tournament. Nilani. Elos. Graagdord. Pan. Jelene. The Abyss. Pain, suffering, heroics. Friendship?

    It's all gone now, isn't it. We can't fix the past. There's no possible future. Nothing.

    Akuma sliced her jugular open.

    Honor, at any cost.

    As Akuma's life quickly drained away, she thought about her home. Oh how she longed to see it one more time.

    Maybe... I'll get to see it again...

    Just before Fumeiyona Akuma closed her eyes for the last time, she thought about Nilani.

    Maybe... she'll remember me...

    Fumeiyona Akuma died under the stars, pale skin glowing faintly under the moonlight, silver hair cascading around her shoulders, one hand holding Zyletka, and a small smile on her face.

    FIN
  • Thanks so much @Jonteman93 for liking Nilani! I'll write something following up the fight.

    GG @Usaername . Also, wow, that last story segment was really sad. It was very powerful too. I'm really sad to see Akuma die.
  • Usaername I am sad now. I feel responsible that she died.
    I am sorry if I stepped on your toes. I thought having her "fight the war" before the fight would give her a better reason to fight Nilani. 

    MonkeyPirate2002 As mentioned earlier, and due to a certain problem, there won't be a match for 3rd and 4th place. There will however be a 4th and 3rd place that will be revealed after the next match. 

    There will be prices for the 4th to 1st place including a place in the hall of fame. Since this was kind of an afterthought, I haven't decided the prices yet. 

    Update
    The next match will take place during the week since I still have a few more things to have fixed. The match will at latest be finished by Wednesday. 

    From the point of that match ending, there will be at least one week until the deadline for the final match. I need to write some story segments as well since we are closing in towards the arrival of a very significant person as well as the battle for Ovan Nova. 

    Then when the final match has concluded, I will write a few final story segments to conclude the main stories. 
  • @Jonteman93 No please don't feel bad! Trust me, I had planned for like 20 different endings, and given what happened, realistically, I feel this was the best one... If you feel sad it means that I've succeeded as a writer and that's all that's important!
  • edited September 2020
    As the girl lead Nilani back to Ovan Nova, Nilani felt sick. She felt tired too.

    There was a burning pain in her heart. She wanted to turn back. She wanted to be with Akuma.

    Have I given it all up? What have I done? Have I chosen the Abyss over my best friend?

    Nilani opened her mouth to speak, but words refused to come out. Nilani tried to cry, but no tears would fall.

    What kind of monster have I become?

    Ǐ̷͜ ̶̩͍̍̇w̵̭̰͘ả̸̡r̴̹̊̄n̴̰̱͗́ẻ̷̡̆d̶͔̓ ̷̱͠ỷ̴̛͚o̶̮͚̔u̴̢̓̔,̵̡̫̄̈́ ̶̲̳̑N̶̯̲͛î̷̢ḽ̵̻͗a̴͚̱̽̐ņ̷́͜į̸̫̽͋.̷̼̓͒͜.̶̭͝.̸̢̺͗ḣ̷͎̤ŏ̷̜̓ẃ̴͉̦ ̸̫̈́͂c̸̥̟̽o̸͚͉̕u̷̪̮̓l̷͙̅͝ď̶̠͠ ̶̙̔͗ỵ̴̻̅͌o̶͙̩͑͐ǜ̵̯̣ ̸̪̻͗b̵̢̈́ḛ̵̈̿ ̸̣̝͑͝ś̵͍͝o̸̢̢̓ ̸̥̈́͊c̵̙̈́̀ȃ̸̛̳r̷͕̟͑ȅ̷̻͝l̷̠̥͗é̴̗̹͘s̸̻̺̎͌š̵̨̛̯?̶̮͂ ̵̹̪̇Y̷͕̱̍̚o̵̩̩̅̀ù̴̹͔́'̴̨̛͊v̶̮̎͠e̶̲͆̒ ̴̦̱̈́͋t̵̢̞̊̅h̵͕̺͊̌r̴̬̈͗o̷̪͙͐̽w̴͕̌̉n̶̝͔̈́ ̴̗̱̇͐ḁ̴́͝ẅ̷̜́̽à̶̰y̶͍͋̏ ̶̳̈́̿ṫ̵̯͛h̷͖̎̎e̴̗̯̕ ̶̹̝̈́ļ̵̭̀a̸̛̼̅s̸̳͐̂t̸͎̟̀̍ ̷̜̑f̸͐̓͜ṙ̵̫͐i̷͈̒͠ĕ̴͇̀ń̸͈͖̉ḓ̵̌s̵͖͉͐̓h̶͙̿͠i̶̞̟͝p̸̛͇ ̴͓͉̄y̸̦̆ö̶͙́u̴̠̼̚ ̶͕͖̋̐h̷̫̏a̴̹̾d̴̤̭̆̅ ̵̻̦̈́ĺ̴͈̓e̸͍̻̐̃f̴̳͉̆͗t̷͎͋͋!̷͔̯̓

    Nilani continued down the war-beaten path, the girl leading her back into the city.

    Who are you, anyways?

    I̶̛̞̿ ̷̞͖̚ă̷̤m̷͇̈́ ̶̫̺̎͠y̴̧̙͘o̷̱̖͋̽u̵̯͑̈́ȑ̵͈̼̉ ̸̤̓̋g̵̟̲͊ř̴͓̞e̶̢͒͆a̷̟̒̐t̴͍̔͊e̴͚͉̍s̷̐ͅt̷͕̽͒ ̴̭́f̶̢͙͌̓r̶̫̺̈́͛i̸̝͔̍̈e̷̢̗̔ṇ̸̈́̂d̸̙̈̍.̵̠͇̎̒ ̷̬͘Ý̷̲͠ͅö̵͈́u̶̢̘͗̾ŗ̵̜̚ ̸̾͜ẁ̴̲͝ô̴̲r̴͓̆͛s̶͖̽́t̶̻̑͜ ̷̙͒e̶̫̺͂n̶̲͇̿͠è̵̡͆m̸̬̂ŷ̸̟͘.̵͚̖́̚ ̴̘̓Í̶̥ ̵͎͂̎ầ̷͇m̷̜̅̈,̴͚͒̚ ̶̻̘̒̕n̴̤̖̾ö̶̮̹́͆,̵̙̒ ̴̠̄ͅw̴̻̟͂̓ã̸̲s̵̘̫̽͝ ̷̛̦̺̏y̶̙̲̎̿o̸̭̤͂u̷̖͝,̷̠̋ ̷̹͙͊̕N̵̯͙͝ì̴̝l̷͎͍̐̕ä̸̤n̷͔͗̽ǐ̶̩͔.̶̛̱͆ ̵̬̈́Y̷̘͗ò̷̺̓u̶̢͆'̶̱̥͌l̸̦̓l̷̠͒ ̴̰́̃ḱ̸̫̤̂ṋ̸̳̒o̷͇̾w̷̩̓͠ ̶͈̆̔ị̶̩̊̊n̸̢͙̋̚ ̸̌ͅḋ̴̘̜̚u̵͎̾e̶̖͛̀ͅ ̷͓̅̔ṱ̷͉̑̕i̸̖͛m̶͇̟̾̄e̸̡͙̋.̵̺̈ ̷̳́̇I̷̤̿͑ ̷̫̙̍́p̴̞̏ŕ̵̛̙̺o̷͙̒m̷̧͈̀i̵̼͗͂s̶̡̥̓̑e̵̦̘̋̀.̷̣̟͆

    Nilani's mind went quiet. Her voice. The abyssal voice. Everything. The little girl even stopped too. Nilani was on top of a hill. The beautiful stars glimmered like a maze of lanterns in the dark night sky. Among the maze of light, Nilani could make out a face. Akuma's face.

    Nilani couldn't bear to look anymore. She shifted her gaze to the moon that peeked out from behind the gray clouds. For some reason, it felt sad to her. " The Crying Moon...Akuma's sword..."

    No! Stop, Nilani! Stop!

    Nilani looked down at the city of Ovan Nova. She could see men and women running. Innocent children. Dying soldiers. Tired nurses. Broken homes. Dark magic. Pain. Suffering. Fires. Prayers. Nilani stood emotionless.

    All I want is this war to be over. I want this twisted nightmare for everyone to end. I want to see Akuma again. I want to fix everything. We could be together like in the beginning! I have no shoulder to cry on anymore. I have no one to keep me going. Dammit! Why, Nilani? Why did I shun Akuma away?

    The girl of shadows tugged on Nilani's robes again. They then descended down into the city. Silent, cold wind swept through the city that flew through Nilani's long hair. She was alone for the first time since she joined the tournament. Could her nightmare get any worse?


  • Semi Final 2 - Introduction 

    A large blood-red crow covered in smoke of red and black. No eyes nor ears it had. It twisted its head to every breath Aeryn took and every small move she made. 
    The crow moved its head towards Lady Miljivan as she mumbled in her sleep. Eyeless it stared at her, earless it listened to her. 
    Miljivan made sounds of discomfort as she fell into nightmares. She mumbled in stress, wailed in pain and cried in fear.  

    The crow turned its head to the upper parts of the city for a few seconds, then back at Miljivan. The sounds from the few townsfolk that defied the night did not draw the crow's attention nearly at all. It turned its head towards Aeryn's sword, then at Aeryn and back at Miljivan. Aeryn had felt the cold essence of the abyss sip into her mind, and hate burning like hot smoke. 

    "You don't have to come to us, I'll come to you." Aeryn said. 

    The crow turned its head towards Aeryn again. It looked at her for second that felt like minutes. Then it turned its head towards the field and forest to the south for only a moment before it looked at Aeryn and Miljivan before it flew off into the night sky. 

    "I will come for you." She said as she walked and took up Nyrea. "You will only enter Ovan Nova over my-... over my dead body." She paused as she thought about those that had already been killed by Niran. Would she be one of them soon as well?

    Lady Miljivan's nightmares stopped, and she continued to rest undisturbed.
    "Miljivan wants Niran dead, as revenge for Belisjian and Irene or to prevent further death. Why would Niran want Miljivan?"
    Aeryn put on her equipment and armor. "She has fallen to the corruption. She has fallen to the hate. She will no longer stop for anything or anyone." Nyrea's voice echoed in Aeryn's mind. "Can she be saved?" Aeryn tightened the straps of her armor. 
    "I don't think so, not from anything else but death. It would be the only right thing to do, liberate her by my blade and your flame."
    Aeryn walked to the door where she stopped and looked back at Miljivan. 
    "You are both right. It will be through mercy but Niran has to die." 
    She opened the door and walked out of the room. 



    --------------------------------------------


    Brynn sat at the top of a temple roof watching the almost full moon and the dragons  that approached just above the horizon. A fragment of abyssal essence, for a short moment, stroke her mind. She looked around. She stood up to see better. Except for the many lights in the open windows and the torches carried by whole regiments of soldiers she could not see anything. Maybe it came from the halls beneath the temples. Small waves of abyssal energy had been pulsating from there almost everyday so it could have just been a large and short one of those. 

    She sat down again while she looked around the city now and then to see if anything changed. It did not take long until something did happen, a red dim light as if covered by smoke, rose into the air from further down the city. Brynn looked at the light as it flew across the city before for a while it finally flew south out of the city. Brynn was too far away to make out what it actually was. It felt not much different from any regular corrupted bird and those had become almost common in the sky above and around Ovan Nova, though what was strange was its red color. No corruption she had ever seen before had been glowing red. She decided to do nothing about it. She instead sat down and rested while the light from the moon embraced her face. It felt relaxing and purifying. 


    Time went by while the townsfolk that were still awake continued their ordinary activities, the soldiers continued their endless marches and the dogs kept barking in the streets. Brynn kept basking in the moonlight as a cold wind blew over her, almost shivering cold. Brynn looked around. Most of the dogs seized their barking. The lights from city began to dim. A feeling of fear began to gnaw inside Brynn but she could not tell from what. Something was moving in the air, like music. 

    The world grew colder and darker. The townsfolk ran to their homes or the homes of others to seek shelter. Military captains called for their men. The inhabitants barricaded their doors and windows. They knew what was coming. 
    The powerful essence of the abyss almost overwhelmed Brynn. She froze as she saw how the forest south of the city began to wither and die. Black smoke escaped between the tree tops leaving dead trees behind. A small white flame burned just in front of the forest. "Aeryn!?" Brynn yelled as she took to the sky, flying as fast as she could. 
  • Semi Final 2 - Fight! (part 1/X)

    @CassZero vs @MonkeyPirate2002
      VS  
       VS  

    Aeryn followed the crow in haste, mounted on a horse that she had borrowed from Miljivan. She rode down the main street down towards the city gates while she kept her eyes on the crow. People jumped out of the way as she rode past. "Look out fool!" they shouted, not knowing that Aeryn planned to save their lives. At least that was what she hopped she was doing. 

    The city gate was filled with construction workers and soldiers that were preparing the fortifications. Workers, carrying equipment and stones, where knocked to the side as Aeryn rode through the site. "Stop there!" A soldier yelled. "Stop, troublemaker!" 
    Aeryn did not stop, she could not afford to stop. She did not know if Niran would wait for her or if she was already on her way towards the city. She rode through the open gate and out onto the Nova field. She had left the warmth and light of fire behind, not waited only smoke and biter cold. 

    The moon's silver light was illuminating the huge field. A large shadow moved over the ground towards her. As by instinct, Aeryn drew her sword. The shadow mover over her when she realized that it was just a normal shadow cast from one of many Medirnian dragons in the distance. It was almost calming seeing them fly in the night sky, bathing in the silver light. She then remember why they where there, to rage war against Ovan. In the chaos even the beasts of war were considered peaceful. 


    She had followed he crow for a long time when she came in close distance to the edge of the forest. The leaves had fallen of the grey and dry trees. A cold breeze pierced into Aeryn's skin as the sound of music reached her ears. A song from Niran's violin. The crow descended towards the forest towards someone standing in a cloud of red and black smoke. The music stopped as Niran reached out her hand upon which the crow landed. The smoke from the crow mixed with Niran's, like blood in black oil. Niran turned her eyes towards Aeryn who dismounted her horse. 

    Aeryn did almost not recognize her at all. Everything that had made her human, except her form, had as burned up in smoke. Niran's eyes were blood red and her skin grey as ash. Cracks covered her entire body where blood was sipping out and turning to smoke. 
    Flares, like burning blood, flew out from the cracks leaving them blackened. Aeryn's ears heard the cold broken sound that seemingly was Niran's voice, but her soul heard her voice as clear and warm.

    "Where is Lady Miljivan? Where is Pontiff Cralmarov?" 

    Aeryn lost focus for a moment as she saw the old Niran when she was still human. She quickly came to her senses and once again saw the monster which Niran had become. 
    She drew out her sword and held it firmly towards Niran. 

    "You are not Niran anymore. You are a monster born from her poor body. I have come here to give Niran's body rest. To provide mercy for Her, by killing you!" 
    Aeryn's blade began to burn in a white flame. 

    Niran took out something from inside her clothes. She threw it to Aeryn. Aeryn caught it and looked at it. It was a seed pouch, an empty seed pouch.


    "̴̧̼̪̬̻̩̰̗̬͕̻̼̔̎́̎̍͒̀͋ͅI̴̢̢̟̟̫̙̩̜̣̣̟̩̅̀̓̆̏̓̒̇̎̾̕ͅ ̵̢̗̱̦̲̰̰̳̤̬͌̓̽͗̓ḁ̶̡͙̹̖̻̯͚̬̜̖̹̤̮̓̀̌͑̊͑͛̐͆̉́̅̀̀̈́̕̕̚͝ṃ̸̢̨̫͇͕̯̣̖̳̝̖̭̠͙͉̿͜ͅͅ ̵̛̰̯̣͔̀͐̊̌̍́̉̎̕̚̕Ǹ̴͚̙͔̞̹̳̃͆̌̚i̵̡̧̡̘͍̙̭̼͉̻͉͍̜͎̯̫͎̳̾̉̓͋̾̀̑̄̿̾̿̎̆̒̾͐̈̕ͅŗ̴̧̨̝͚͓͖̳̞̞̥̻̲̩̦̭̺̺̄͝ͅa̶̧̡̝̲̗̥̦̟̭̰͗̀̆̎ņ̸̲͓͈̝̭̟͇̏̆̃͂̏̿̇̂̏̊͌̈́̍͌̚.̴̲̙̐͂̅̄̿̍̅̽̉̌́͘͝"̵̨̧̡̰̥̫̣͈̯̗͚͇̻̔̒̕̚͜



    The crow flew away and Niran took up her violin. She began to play a song that sent freezing shiver into Aeryn's skin and soul, repelled only slightly by the flame. The red smoke of Niran began to shiver and vibrate around the violin,The horse began jump in fear as Aeryn tried to calm him. The world turned darker as every shadow untouched by the moonlight, turned completely black. The leaves fell from the trees all around them. The red smoke of Niran began to vanish and the cracks in her skin shut close. The trees around Niran began to wither, and die. Soon, parts of them turned to ash that fell to the ground. Niran's horse became almost as paralyzed. 

    Aeryn heard a child cry silently. A girl within her mind that cried of fear, a terrible fear. "Sir Wardnan, please save me." she cried. 

    A large cloud of black smoke began to sip out of the forest, turning it dark even from the moonlight. Trees cracking and falling deep within could be heard. Something huge was moving inside the darkness, growling as it broke down tree after tree. Aeryn grew her flame ever brighter. 

    "Aeryn, we should run." Nyrea said within Aeryn's mind. "This monster is beyond us. We cannot fight it." 

    The smoke poured out from the forest and above the treetops. Aeryn felt how eyes stared at her, piercing her very soul. Large claws breaking stone boulders as they moved a large body with scales, thicker than any knight's armor. Aeryn mounted her horse who was almost knocked out of fear alone. A bell in Ovan Nova began to ring, then another and another after that. The bells echoed violently and far through the night. Torches and other lights were ignited i the city. 

    The ground shook beneath the horse's hooves. The growling grew louder. When Aeryn had mounted the horse and was ready to ride off, she looked back. Niran disappeared into the forest. In the blackness she saw the reflection of moonlight in two black eyes. She saw the armored face that they belonged.

    A Terror Arkanai. 
  • Wait I thought Niran ate only two seeds in total, wouldn’t there be one more left?
  • Semi Final 2 - Fight! (part 2/X)

    "Run, Aeryn, RUN!" 


    (Work in progress)

    Aeryn almost pushed the horse's head and forced him back to reality. The horse galloped back towards the city. The Arkanai set off after her. Aeryn rode as fast as she possibly could but the Arkanai was fast enough to keep up, an maybe even gain upon her. "Faster! Faster!" Aeryn shouted. The around and before her turned grey and withered as the Arkanai came closer. They tried to ride between large stone boulders and old trees but the Arkanai just broke through the trees and pushed aside the boulder. The distance they had, shrunk for every second. They could not get away. 

    Aeryn prepared herself. She held Nyrea in both hands while she channeled the flame and the runes. Then she forced the horse to a complete halt and rearing. As the Arkanai came up on them, Aeryn struck with all strength she had towards the monster's head. With tremendous force, Aeryn flew out of the saddle and landed on her side. The horse screamed as it was forced down into the ground. It then made a last sound as its body was crushed beneath the monster's claws. 

    Aeryn swiftly stood up on her feet and took up Nyrea from the ground. She could not see the entire monster, the Terror Arkanai. It was large, larger than any normal beast or animal. It was as tall and wide as an elephant and at least twice as long. It had a form similar to that of a lizard. It had strong legs that were close to the ground and its claws were long and sharp, like daggers. It had a tail almost as long as the rest of the body. Its entire body was covered in black thick scales-like plates. It had a smaller spike-like horns in its skull, and its eyes were completely black. 

    Aeryn had cut off a spike, a thorn, from the monster's face and left a small glowing scar in the plate. The beast bit into the horse and pulled so blood, bones and guts flew everywhere. With its face covered in blood, it turned towards Aeryn. She channeled the flame once again. A flash of light appear and disappeared in less than a second. A clinging sound burst as a burning while javelin pierced into the back of the Arkanai. The monster roared and the moment after, an angel came down from the sky. She descended and attacked the hind legs of the beast with her burning sword. The arkanai swept its tail so it almost hit the angel.

    "Brynn!" Aeryn yelled.



    "Keep running, Aeryn!" Brynn yelled as the arkanai began chasing her. 

    Aeryn proceeded to run towards Ovan Nova. Clouds had begun to gather in the sky and a wind blow in over the land. A storm is coming. She kept running. The dragons in the sky had come much closer now, so close that Aeryn could even see their colors. Grey and cooper. She kept running. She looked back at Brynn who kept avoiding the Arkanai which still had the javelin stuck in its back. She kept running. Then she saw torches leaving the gates of Ovan Nova, many torches. Aeryn slowed down, just for a moment to see what it was. Horsemen, many horsemen. They were riding straight towards the Arkanai. 

    Armed with lance, bow and torch, about fifty Ovan riders headed towards the monster. Aeryn thought about staying but without a horse, she would have been an easy target. So she kept running. She looked up at the dragons that were now almost over the city. They had clearly seen the Arkanai. They flew around in circles while the riders seemed to argue with each other as they waved their arms. 

    The Ovan horsemen and the few rahandi closed in on the Arkanai. Spears, javelins and arrows were thrown and shot at the beast. The monster turned with great speed and tried to strike one of the riders, but the riders were fast so they avoided the beast. A few horsemen attacked the beast once again from behind. It turned but too slow. Once again a rider with a spear rode up on the beast. It swept it tail so the horse fell with its rider. The Arkanai enclosed the rider and the horse in its mouth, biting through them as easy as a sword through butter. The Arkanai grabbed the bloody remains of the horse, and hurled in into the air towards Brynn. 

    Aeryn tried to shout for her to look out but it happened too fast. Brynn was hit by the horse carcass, and she fell. Aeryn ran back towards Brynn who fell towards the ground. Aeryn saw that Brynn tried to gain control as she waved her wings, but it was too late. 
    With great impact, Brynn crashed into the ground.

    "BRYNN!!" Aeryn yelled as the horsemen kept fighting a losing battle against the Arkanai. 
  • BRYNN!!
    (I hope I didn't bring her back to die @SpellPiper2213 sorry. Lmao.)
  • edited October 2020
    I’m not sure how I’m supposed to feel about this
  • Nilani was sitting in a field of flowers, crying silently to herself when an odd feeling crept upon her. A cold feeling crept through Nilani. She saw the colorful flowers around her wilt and die too, leaving a shriveled gray plant behind. Then, she heard a scream and black smoke erupted into the sky from a forest nearby.

    Her curiosity turned to panic.

    Nilani jumped up and ran in that direction. The cold, abyssal force grew stronger.

    Something is completely out of balance here. Who has done this?

    Nilani was close to the entrance of the forest. There were tracks left behind from horses and a sword on the ground indicated people were there too. Right as Nilani was about to run inside, something grabbed her from behind. Nilani tripped and face planted into the mud.

    "D̶̩͛o̸̜͆n̵͙̿'̶̙̂t̸̲̓ ̴̟̂g̸̦͆ó̴̞ ̷̩̀i̸̋͜n̷̢̈́ ̵̠̑t̴̰͠ĥ̷̺e̸͕͌r̷̹͝ę̴̓,̸̱̿" an eerie voice said, "I̵͓͠t̷̨͆'̸̱̓ş̷͑ ̷̪́t̷̰̿o̴̱̿ò̸͓ ̵̤̈́ḋ̸̫a̵̱͝n̸͍͋g̵̗̉ē̵͚r̴͛ͅo̶͖̐u̶̖̾s̵̝͆.̷̠̌ ̵͓͂Y̶̱̏ȏ̷͓ü̷̖'̶̹́ȑ̶͚e̸̙̒ ̴͙̐t̵̩̀h̸̤̆e̸̼̊ ̵͎̐e̸̟̽n̶̥͐e̷̻͝ṁ̵̩ý̶͎ ̸̧͘t̸͚̊ò̴̝ ̷̊ͅb̶̊ͅo̸̬͒ṯ̶͐h̷̘͌ ̵̹͘s̴̭̀i̸̬̐d̵̰̔e̴̜̿s̶͖̋.̵̠̊"

    Nilani spun around and cast a spell towards the familiar voice behind her. To her surprise, the ethereal grip was still fastened tightly around her wrist. The spell had passed through the spirit.

    Nilani turned to look at it. It seemed familiar.

    "Who are you?"

    "C̸̥̔o̴͋͜m̸̳̃è̷̘.̴̥̃ ̸̗̿I̵͍͋ ̶̼̍c̶͓͑a̸̙͆ṉ̶̈́ ̴̭͛e̷̞̅ẍ̸͎p̵͇̾l̸̼͘a̵̢͛i̵͈̓n̶̘͋ ̵̳̕e̵͉͒v̸̛̮e̷̢͆r̵̘̀y̵͇͝t̶̯̽h̴̖͗ì̷̤n̶̫͐g̵̬̀.̷̜̃.̵̠́.̸͖̈́"

    "But-" the enchantress started.

    "T̶̫̍h̷̠̑i̷̼͛ŝ̵̩ ̵̡̍i̸̗̿s̶̭̉ ̵̬͗n̸̠̓o̵͔͑t̷̟͂ ̵̹͂y̴̝͒ơ̵̥u̶͕͆r̷̝̓ ̴̼͒f̷̦̕ĩ̶̜g̷̖̉h̶͔̕ţ̸̒,̴͕͘ ̵̳̈́Ǹ̸ͅī̴͕l̸̥̕ǎ̴̰n̶͕͐i̴̙͝.̵̺̎ ̵̲̏W̸͖̅a̷͍͗l̵̠͘k̶̲̓ ̷̝̍a̸͙̅w̷̝̏ḁ̸̌y̶̥͑.̷̽ͅ"

    Nilani nodded. She looked back at the destruction happening behind her. She thought for a second. There were innocent people in the forest. Wasn't it her duty to protect them?

    Nilani shook her head. She needed to know who the mysterious voice was.

    "You're right. I can't win this. Not here. Not now."

    Nilani turned around and ran away following the ethereal figure far from the chaotic fight.

    ----

    (Note: the figure is NOT the little girl @Jonteman93 introduced in Nilani's fight vs Akuma)
  • Semi Final 2 - Fight! (part 3/3)

    The sky grew darker from the black clouds. The sound of dying men and horses reached Aeryn as she ran towards Brynn. Her chest was in pain from the constant running. Her legs were burning, but she could not stop, she could not abandon Brynn. It was all just chaos. She should have killed Niran when she had the chance, if she ever even had the chance. 

    Aeryn came over a small elevation and drew a sigh of relief. Brynn leaned on her right arm, clearly in pain and bloodied but she was alive. Aeryn went down to her. "Brynn! You're alive. We must stop the bleeding."
    "Its not my blood. It's from the horse. AHH! She tried to use her wings to help herself up but failed and withdrew her wings. One of the wings had been broken with visible bones. The sounds of a swarm of wing flaps reached them from the field where the Arkanai was fighting. 

    "I must get you out of here." Aeryn said. 
    "Aghh!" Brynn moaned in pain as Aeryn tried to raise her over her shoulder. "No, leave me here. I... I just need to rest." Brynn look at the ground, ashamed that she could not do anything. 
    Aeryn sat down on her knees beside Brynn. She looked at her and then at the Arkanai who now was also attacked by a swarm of corrupted crows. Almost half of the horsemen had been killed, and now lied as red piles spread out in the field. The Arkanai, even though filled with spears and arrows, did not show any sign of weakening. 

    "Stay down and remain quiet." Aeryn said as she headed up to the battle. 
    She felt that Brynn wanted to stop her but decided not to. 

    Aeryn walked up the small hill and approached the Arkanai that gave out a horrifying roar. The crows seemed to lose their power as the smoke vanished from them just before they fell lifeless to the ground. Aeryn drew her sword and channeled the white flame as she closed in on the battle. She stopped when she was almost within range from the Arkanai. She held the sword straight up before her as she focused on the movement of the monster, learning its motions. When she felt ready, she dashed forward while the monster looked the other way. She aimed for the left hind leg but the Arkanai turned, swinging its tail towards Aeryn. She ducked beneath the tail. Then she swung her blade towards the tail, cutting it off at the middle. 

    The monster roared and turned swiftly. Aeryn had already started her next swing towards the Arkanai's approaching head and claws. The Arkanai swung its left claw towards Aeryn but her blade struck the claw first, cutting off two fingers. The Arkanai drew back its claw as it tried to bite Aeryn instead. Then a javelin flew past Aeryn and struck the monster's right eye. The monster roared in pain. Aeryn nodded as thanks to the Rahandi that had thrown the javelin. 

    The Arkanai growled and red smoke appeared inside the black smoke. Then it plunged forward towards Aeryn and the Rahandi. It bit into the Rahandi horse and shook it back and forth. Aeryn tried to duck but one of the horse's hooves hit her head so blood splattered and she flew backwards. The Rahandi horseman, who managed to fall of his horse before the bite, drew his sword. He shouted something as he ran towards the monster. Suddenly, red flames erupted over the Arkanai, forcing the Rahandi to stop.  Aeryn, lying down with her hand over her bleeding head, looked up. In the night sky she saw the grey dragon turning around. She looked across the sky and saw that the cooper dragon was flying back to their camp. 

    The grey dragon came in once again, drenching the monster in flame. The Rahandi ran into the flames. A few moments later, blood was splattered and parts of the Rahandi flew out from the flames. His helm flew and then rolled almost all the way to Aeryn. She took the helm in her bloody right hand. She looked up. The sky was almost ready to burst into storm, casting lightning over the world. The dragon came in once again, now even lower. It breathed flame and then scratched the Arkanai with its claws so that spears and javelin fell off. One of them was the silver javelin which Brynn had thrown. 

    Aeryn waited for another opportunity to attack, but it was difficult with the flames. Unlike the Rahandi, she did not want to waste her life, or maybe he did not waste it. The dragon came in once again about to spew flames. It was clear that the flames had grown weaker. The dragon spewed its flames and then attacked the Arkanai's head with its claws. The Arkanai bit one of the dragon's claws. It tried to fly up but the Arkanai was far stronger. The Arkanai slammed the dragon to the ground. The rider's helm fell off and flew towards Aeryn. The dragon tried to crawl away but the Arkanai was already over it, biting and slashing into its breast. The dragon cried as it died. 

    Aeryn saw her chance. She ran forward, not towards the Arkanai but the silver javelin. She was dizzy and her head hurt but she was determined. She ran through the small flames that still remained, and grabbed the javelin. The Arkanai turned towards her as it growled. Aeryn felt the silver in her hand, she focused on the silver and the flame. Causing a flame in a javelin was different than causing it in a sword since it had to hold, but she had no time to fail. A white flame, contaminated with color, appeared on the javelin's edge. She channeled more, she needed more. The Arkanai moved towards her with speed. Aeryn did not have enough time. The javelin did not burn enough.

    The Arkanai dashed towards her. She drew back the javelin. She focused her aim, she focused her steadiness. Then she threw the javelin. The Arkanai roared as it was hit, but it did not stop. Aeryn was too exhausted and broken to move away in time. She drew Nyrea and held it before her. The Arkanai swung its claw towards Aeryn. 

     Brynn watched as Aeryn, covered in blood, was thrown far away. She crashed into the ground further away. Brynn did not dare to shout, in case the Arkanai would hear. She looked back at the monster. The silver javelin was stuck in its eye, making it completely blind. The Arkanai must have felt something, life force, so it set off towards Ovan Nova. The clouds in the sky had begun to shiver with waves of light but still no lightning.
    Brynn limped towards Aeryn. 

    "Aeryn, please don't be dead." 


    Doh!
    The Arkanai slammed into the city gate so that the cracked. People screamed and cried. 
    Doh!
    It slammed it again. The people living closest to the wall began to ran further up the city.
    Doh! 
    The wall began to break and the gate bent inwards. 
    Doh-rrrkghh!
    The gate broke. The Arkanai entered Ovan Nova. 

    Brynn saw the Arkanai as it moved up the street, slashing down anything in its way. Then, a bright blinding light so bright it defied all darkness, all shadows, everything turned white. Then it was gone as suddenly as it had appeared, leaving only a burned image of where the lighting had struck down. The world as exploded in a terrifying sound of breaking mountains and collapsing building. Brynn looked towards the city again. Where the Arkanai had been was now only a large white fire. The Arkanai was burning in white flame. It screeched as the flames burned through the plates, the horns, its flesh and bones, turning it all to ash. Before long, the Arkanai was nothing more than ash in the middle of collapsed buildings. 

    Brynn continued towards Aeryn. She found her, lying on the ground in a pool of blood. Her broken body lied completely still. "Please, don't be dead. You don't deserve to die." 


    In the dead forest, Niran watched the massacre which the Arkanai had caused, she had caused.

    A new day would soon arrive, maybe one without bloodshed. 
  • Semi Final 2 - Winner!
    @MonkeyPirate2002


    Congratulations! 
    Niran summoned a Terror Arkanai. Thus she won the second mach of fate. 
    Niran may now prepare herself for the final match.  

    You may now make a choice. 
    - increase Niran's maximum mana cost to 7.
    - add a new signature or companion card. 


    @CassZero
    Aeryn was long meant to win this fight. I even planned the final for it. I even let this match play out pretty much how it would have played out if she would have won. 

    So why did she not win? 
    You have the most quantity of all contenders, you have put the most work seemingly into your character. You have done a phenomenal work.
    But when I looked back and compared Aeryn and Niran's stories, there was one thing that stood out for me. How the text is written. It was easier and more interesting to follow Niran's story even though there was more story for Aeryn. 

    This is also why I choice to go with the original intent for this fight. Otherwise I would
    have had Aeryn fight a Dread Arkanai and lose, which would not have had the same stakes at all since the dread arkanai is practically a slightly bigger and flying Fear Arkanai. 

    Since you did put so much work into this, there is no logical decision other than that you receive the 3rd place. 
    Akuma and @Usaername thus got 4th place. 


    It is your decision what happens to Aeryn. Did she survive or did she not? 



    I hope that you want to stay to continue participate in the game, even if so only to read. The more the merrier.
    Thank you once again, CassZero, for participating in the third tournament of champions! 
  • @MonkeyPirate2002
    It supposed that she took the last seed between the time of your last story segment and this one. I did this because I needed her to summon the Terror Arkanai instead of a Dread Arkanai. 


    @Everyone
    To begin with, I'm sorry that I was unable to keep the soft deadline of last September. 
    I cut my thumb this Monday so I could not do much of anything. 
    Another thing that happened is that an abandoned cat that appeared at our home two weeks ago, had her kidneys collapse so she had to be put to sleep. 
    And of course work, work, work.  


    So, we have finally got to the point were the final match is the only match left. 
    There won't be a deadline for the last match. I will instead proceed with the match when both contenders are ready. 
    Also, I have been wondering if we should try something similar to the first tournament of champions where the contenders were allowed to write their own segments of the match 
    @shadow123 @MonkeyPirate2002, what do you think about this?

    There are some story segments I need to finish before any further matches anyway. 


    Since this tournament is soon over, I would love to receive some feedback and critic about how the tournament has been managed and if this heavy focus on story was a good idea or not. Anything really. 
    @shadow123 @MonkeyPirate2002, I think it is best if you two wait with any critic and feedback (unless it is necessary) until after the final match.
  • well then... that throws a wrench into my end plot...

    Niran magically had a fourth seed all along!
  • edited October 2020
    tfw not even a chance at 3rd.

    Ah well, thus is fate, I suppose. Truly ironic, given Akuma's end. Perhaps it was always meant to be this way...

    @Jonteman93 does this mean you had Nilani vs Aeryn planned as a final? If you're willing to tell, how far ahead did you have planned overall? Could you tell from the very beginning?
This discussion has been closed.