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Post by hoodwink on Mar 11, 2019 11:41:25 GMT -5
The entrance of this world was massive, large golden gates embroiled with clouds and lightning bolts loomed from clouds, cracking the sky with their height. Tall white pillars propped up strong and sturdy tan walls that lined out the large square courtyard. There was no ceiling here, revealing a bright blue sky dotted with clouds. The man who had emerged from the large entrance was one shrouded in a steel blue jacket, the hood of it shrouding his features. The open jacket displayed a bright graphic tee with a tidal wave and cargo pants, of which many of the pockets seemed to bulge with items. Some were trinkets, others useful and some he hadn't even fully realized he carried. The visitor of this world had no name, not one they recalled anyway. Many memories of theirs were...foggy...but he was here with a specific task in mind.
He needed a new test subject.
The Vagabond was a researcher, one who mainly studied the Heart. Lately his studies had been focused specifically on the Heartless, as he was curious if it were possible to extract the heart lost to darkness. So far all of his attempts had failed. He had scoured other worlds, seeking good specimens, but had little luck. Either the Heartless he ran into were too powerful at the time for him to capture, needing to be destroyed, or they simply didn't make it through the mans tests. There should be some good ones here... He had heard on Radiant Garden, a world he had made a sort of 'base' out of, about a world that held competitions for powerful competitors. The rumors said that there were certainly times where Heartless participated in the games, though exactly how this worked no one seemed to ever know.
He was here to enter these 'games', determined to find a powerful enough Heartless that could withstand the labors of his research. So far the most powerful Heartless the man had actually managed to capture was a NeoShadow, any other one being a bit too powerful, winding up with The Vagabond either running from it or destroying it. As the tall broad hooded man walked across the courtyard towards the gigantic statues that guarded the smaller more reasonably sized door on this world, the man thought about his current state. He had grown more powerful over his recent excursions, though hoped that this power would be enough to subdue some of the Heartless on this world. Opening the doors, The Vagabond entered the small room that housed the entrance to 'the games'.
Inside he stood on a sleek floor, lined with walls littered with trophies and awards. Not much else was in the room other than a small black doorway that led to the arena. Guarding the doorway was a small satyr who seemed to already be in a bad mood. The goat-man huffed and puffed, pacing back and forth. "Ah... this ain't good. With Herc resting, there ain't much we can do..." The satyr hadn't seemed to notice The Vagabond, who pulled off his hood to reveal disheveled brown hair, dull green eyes with no light in them. Lifting his gloved hand, the man called out to the creature.
"Uh...hi. Is this where I sign up for the games...?" The older man looked down at the guardian of this world, wondering exactly what he was worried about. The satyr jumped in surprise before turning on his hooves to stare up at the tall stranger.
"Huh?? You're here for the games?" For a moment, the satyr seemed skeptical, giving the man a 'once-over' before snorting. "Sorry, guy. We don't let in bums." With a haughty expression, the satyr began to make 'shooing' motions with his hands. Surprised and slightly offended, the Vagabond scowled and looked down at him.
"What!? How can you let in Heartless but not me!?" The Vagabond was floored, he hadn't expected such a rejection. The satyr gave a raise of his brow.
"You know about them? You think you can fight 'em?" Curious, the satyr seemed to look through the Vagabond for a moment before finally sighing and slumping over slightly. "Fine. But first we gotta wait a bit. The games aren't starting for a little while, we gotta make sure all the contenders are in order first. The name's Phil. I'll be running you and anyone else who shows up through a little course first. Gotta make sure you're up to the challenge, after all." Phil gave a slap of his belly before turning and sitting by the door.
It seemed The Vagabond would have to wait for a moment. A training course...? He wasn't excited so far.
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Post by Conrí on Mar 11, 2019 13:59:23 GMT -5
Ailill blinked into the coliseum lobby. He just started to catch the tail end of the strange talking goat thing's speech. He wore a bemused smirk to hide his shock from wanting to hold up the goat with weaves of Air and ask it if it was a Trolloc. He offered a simple nod to the person he found himself next to.
"I suppose I am here for these games as well." There was something about the world that reminded him of all the times he was laughed at for being poor at Swords. He chuckled darkly. Tamara...it doesn't seem like you're here, either. Maybe I should return to that castle to wait longer, then. The man turned his mint green eyes to the man next to him. "I am Ailill Marien Rhiodnaparet." He flourished a slight bow when he stuck out his hand for the other man to shake. Might as well try to be friendly. He could be of use.
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Post by hoodwink on Mar 11, 2019 23:00:45 GMT -5
As The Vagabond heaved in disappointment at Phil's mention to wait, another man entered to Coliseum Lobby. The wandering vagrant's dull green eyes fell upon a stranger surprisingly similar in look to himself. Well, only in some features, such as the man's broad and tall stature, brown hair and green eyes. The stranger's eyes seemed different from his owns. They're...more...bright? He was aware of the matte color his eyes had. They hadn't always been in such a state.
The cloaked stranger had seemed to appear literally out of nowhere, almost as if suddenly he simply existed, born in that spot. "I suppose I am here for these games as well." The man had a rather dramatic aura about him, only intensifying as he introduced himself with a rather long name. Hm... this world really is a hub for travelers. As Ailill offered his hand to The Vagabond, he instinctively reached out with his left hand and shook it.
"..." He was still a little taken aback due to the man's sudden entrance, but he was regaining himself.
"...Er, nice to meet you. I'm..." What had someone called him recently, from another world? Not having a name of his own, The Vagabond typically went by what others referred to him by, never being one prone to liking introductions. Most of this was due to the man's fractured memories, severing part of his own identity in terms of knowledge of self. "Oh! That's right! You can call me 'The Vagabond'!" The vagrant's face fixed itself with a broad grin, as though it was an ordinary name like any other. Who was it that called me that...?
"Alright, you two. Before you can enter the games, each of you has to pass a training course first." Phil motioned for the two to follow him, heading into the dark doorway that led to the open Coliseum grounds. The arena was massive, lined with seats yearning for a crowd to fill them, the center stage filled with large pillars, solid platforms and...barrels? There were countless barrels littered across the arena, arranged on the tall structure that had been formed. "Each of yous is gonna take a turn, I'll decide if ya pass or fail. You've gotta break all these barrels within the time limit." Phil eyed the newcomer in the dark cloak, curious. He seems strong... not like the other guy... Phil had a knack for sizing up people, this 'Ailill' certainly had a presence of strength about him. The other man that looked similar, other than the expression as though he were lost on his face all the time seemed...well, in his opinion 'less impressive' to say the least.
Eyeing The Vagabond, Phil wondered exactly what the man was doing here. He seemed...different, almost like he was out of it or something. It weirded the satyr out. Pointing to Ailill, Phil pulled out a stopwatch. From where, no one knows. "Alright, tough guy. You're up first. I got two words of advice for you: DON'T BE SLOW."
With that, Phil blew a whistle that was tied around his neck, though no one was quite sure where that came from either.
The satyr had high hopes, the newcomers that wanted to participate had to make the cut if the crowd was going to see a show worth seeing.
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Post by Conrí on Mar 12, 2019 10:58:59 GMT -5
Ailill looked at the other man, who seemed to be shocked at the entrance he'd made. This caused the crazed channeller to chuckle a little. He noted in that glance that they looked similar in appearance. Curiously, Ailill cocked his head as he waited for the other man to introduce himself. The man in the dark cloak half-wondered if Vagabond had the infection of the taint, but then had to remember that there were many dimensions, and the chances of him running into anyone else from the world he knew was slim, unless he took the measures he'd been taking to find them.
Ailill smirked as he observed the area of barrels in front of him. It seemed that perhaps the arena wouldn't be used for something like Swords. He sighed, and thought back to those days. Someone had kicked him down to his ass back then, and then, the taint on his mind took hold, and all he could see was her face. "Tamara, I will find you again. Therin, you're going to pay." He kept his voice down to a growling whisper, but, he eyed The Vagabond cautiously before shaking his head. The strange goat's yell snapped him back into a momentary peace. One where he wasn't tortured by her face or her absence all the time. Those moments were getting smaller, and, the man knew Healing would be his only option. That, or death.
With a flourish, the man widened his stance slightly and seized saidin, not being taken by the ice or fire, but finding the center of that storm and sitting in it. He pulled a little amount of Power through that Source, trying not to show that he was close to heaving up the contents of his stomach from the slick, nauseating grease of the taint. With another wave of his hand, a forty foot area started to be rained down on with lightning, destroying most of the barrels. As for the ones the lightning missed, Ailill simply blinked them into his dimensional trap. As an added show of strength, he pulled Phil into the air with hardened Air and started to grunt and growl at him in Trolloc.
All of this he did while just looking at Vagabond. "Ye isainde gharaem. Ye misain dha. Noup ba'asa, Tamara. Hei. Ye lal toh, Tamara. Inde." He couldn't stop himself from using the language, even though it clicked that no one around him would understand. "Sin lal dae toh." Ailill just stared at the Vagabond and released Phil with a smirk. "Was that fast enough for you? My apologies, I had asked that in a language I thought you'd know. As for the other drivel, ignore it. Vagabond, how would you like a proper name? Let's see how you do in this 'test' the Tr-- goat has prepared."
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Post by hoodwink on Mar 12, 2019 11:45:58 GMT -5
The Vagabond hardly had time to blink as Ailill cascaded the entire Coliseum with lightning, barraging most of the barrels and incinerating them to dust. Within a moment, what few barrels that had managed to escape the magical barrage were just suddenly...gone, there was no other way to put it. One second they were there, the next they simply weren't. The vagrant had hardly ever seen such a display. His jaw going slightly agape, his dull matte eyes stared widely at the man who held his gaze.
He's...powerful! Though he had undergone much since his emergence from the Realm of Darkness, this kind of power far surpassed anything the researcher had fiddled with himself. Staring as Ailill swooped Phil up with a powerful gust of wind magic, causing the coach to yell out in surprise before laughing, The Vagabond couldn't help but feel slightly...underwhelming. This cloaked stranger was certainly strong, proved further as Phil hopped back onto the ground with a thunderous roar of laughter.
"Alright, that was good! I'll give ya that!" The tiny satyr was jumping and celebrating. This guy is gonna be a ringer for sure! The games would be exciting, after all! He had been worried with the absence of Herc, but things were starting to look up for Phil and the Coliseum! "Alright, string bean. Your turn!" The satyr was pointing towards The Vagabond now.
In regards to Ailill's last comment about the name, The Vagabond turned his gaze from the man and stared at the arena. The barrels from before were steadily being replaced, appearing with a ray of light as they littered the obstacle course. With a shrug, the homeless vagrant smiled awkwardly at the cloaked man: "Uh...sure!" Truthfully, he didn't care about names. Whether he had one or not was irrelevant. There's only one name I care about... There was a time he had forgotten the name, only remembering the younger boys face in his mind. After his previous excursions he was able to recall it, vowing to never forget it again. Lief...
Taking a deep breath, the man turned towards the arena. Phil eyed him with an obvious doubt in his eyes before blowing the whistle. I guess if I just need to be fast... It was a risk, using a powerful skill right away during the training. For a moment The Vagabond doubted his choice before finding determination when thinking of his purpose for being here. I can't lose! The man clasped his hands together, his eyes shut tightly as he pressed his palms together tightly.
Open...open...open... He was channeling the darkness within the heart residing next to his, as well as his own. He had multiple wells of power now. Feeling a surge of energy ripple through him, The Vagabond glowed with a faint purple aura for a moment, his dull green eyes shinning a bright yellow as he yelled: "Meteor!" The sky rippled with energy, the few clouds originally there suddenly multiplying and swirling together. From the clouds hailed a massive meteor, an orb of darkness and flame that hurtled towards the arena.
CRAAAAAAAAAAAAASH!
The massive meteor pummeled into the Coliseum, erupting in dark and fire energy. The barrels in the arena were incinerated and devoured, though the radius wasn't large enough to effect those watching by the edge. There was a light sweat breaking out on his forehead as The Vagabond breathed in a shaky breath, the aura from his body disappearing as he slumped over slightly. Damn... that took a lot out of me... Not wanting to show the amount of energy he just expended, the man straightened his spine and dusted off his steel blue jacket, turning to the small satyr.
Phil simply stood, his jaw wide open as he blinked a few moments. That guy...just...what just happened!? He hadn't expected to see such raw power from a guy like him. Just what is that guy!? Having originally thought The Vagabond was simply a wandering homeless traveler, Phil hadn't expected much. Recovering himself, Phil shook his head a bit before barking at The Vagabond: "You pass! Now both of ya scram, I gotta prepare the arena for the games!" Shooing the two tall men out and back into the Lobby, Phil began to get preparations ready.
It seemed there would be two powerful contenders in the games now, after all!
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Post by Conrí on Mar 12, 2019 17:24:14 GMT -5
Ailill watched with bemusement at the goat's clear excitement and speculation about Vagabond's strength. He started laughing with the goat out of shock as well as meteors that he couldn't see the weaves to, so, he figured and could see that it was the older magic that he hadn't felt or used in so long. A small smile came to his lips, and he instinctively steadied the man as he dusted himself off.
He chuckled. "Well, then..." He searched his memories for the right words to speak next in regards to the promised name. In a moment of lucid clarity, the man placed a hand on the shoulder of the skinnier man and simply said, "Cordamora." He nodded, and then the all too familiar twisted smirk came across his face again.
As the goat shooed them out of the arena, Ailill put a thumb to his lower lip, lost in thought. He still didn't say anything, but, he was thinking that the other person could be useful, but, he still needed more of a test to prove that. Something that wasn't barrels. He decided to press his luck a little. "So, what brought you here, boy?"
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Post by hoodwink on Mar 12, 2019 18:13:12 GMT -5
Heaving a sigh of relief, The Vagabond wiped the sweat from his brow. "Cordamora." Ailill spoke out the name he had dubbed The Vagabond, though the wandering man wasn't sure if he'd be able to remember it. He simply smiled at the cloaked man before both of them were shooed out of the Coliseum arena and back into the lobby. "So, what brought you here, boy?" The Vagabond blinked in confusion. It had been a long time since anyone had called him boy, though this man looked hardly older than himself. Hm...weird... He wasn't sure quite what to make of this character yet. Though to be fair, he hardly knew what to make of himself.
With a lazy shrug The Vagabond walked over to a large square made of stone that rested in the small lobby room. What the large box sat on he didn't know, but it was the only thing resembling furniture in here. Hopping onto the large box, The Vagabond leaned back, resting his weight on his hands. "I'm here to try and conduct research." For some reason he couldn't recall exactly where he had gotten it, but The Vagabond was currently in possession of part of a secret report. The parchments spoke of the nature of hearts, darkness and the Heartless. It was written by a name long forgotten to most, himself being unable to remember it unless he read it.
The report was incomplete, however, the man hoping to either find more pieces of it or at least test out the new theories the information had allowed him to think of. What little he had had sparked new ideas in his mind of how to extract a heart without killing its host. He had already learned he could revert a heart back to its former light by absorbing the darkness. He had done so for others as well as Worlds Hearts themselves. The Vagabond's heart was accustomed to being used as a vessel. For a moment an image entered his mind, one of a peaceful Lagoon shaded by tall trees and accompanied by pink hippos. He shook the image out of his mind, trying to focus. He was eager to try these theories. "My main focus is the heart." He tended to leave out the parts about 'darkness' and 'Heartless', many folks seemed not to like that.
Giving a curious look at Ailill, The Vagabond tilted his head a bit and echoed the question. "How about you? Why are you on this world?" He gave a knowing grin to the cloaked man as he raised a finger to point at him. "I mean...that's the case, right? You're not from this world, either."
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Post by Conrí on Mar 12, 2019 19:20:06 GMT -5
Ailill glanced around the lobby. He started stroking his chin thoughtfully. The heart as research? That's interesting. He chuckled softly. "I was a researcher, too, once. A long time ago." He tried to remember things other than all the failures of the results of his research.
The man contemplated what his purpose was, but, he could only think of his wife, which only spurred on his madness. Suddenly, he turned toward Cordamora with a glare so fierce that he seemed to radiate darkness from his figure. It was true that he was from another world, and, it wasn't that fact that bothered him. "Perhaps I can use you after all, Cordamora." His mumble was barely audible. "And what of these games, then? Do they not serve a point or a purpose?" The man had tried to calm himself down and offered a forced smile after he asked the question.
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Post by hoodwink on Mar 13, 2019 1:38:51 GMT -5
Perched on the large box, The Vagabond's dull eyes fell upon the varying trophies that littered the walls. His eye was particularly fascinated with the small blue one, tall and slim yet angular in shape. "I was a researcher too, once. A long time ago." The man's gaze returned to Ailill, wondering exactly what the cloaked man had researched. He sounds older than he is... The Vagabond had picked up on a few things, the fact that he called him 'boy' despite looking hardly any older, having mentioned distant endeavors as though they were lifetimes away. It was how he had felt after he had returned from that place.
Darkness. Nothing but crawling tendrils and snaking predators. Not a single light from within, other than the occasional reflection. There had been hardly any sound, other than the distant lapping of water on a shore.
The vision faded into the back of the man's mind as he snapped back to the lobby around him. "What of these games, then? Do they not serve a point or a purpose?" He wasn't sure what to tell the man, remaining silent for a moment as he lowered his head to look down at the floor.
"..." For a moment, The Vagabond wondered about the man currently smiling at him in a slightly uncomfortable way. I wonder what his deal is. He had picked up on the fact that this stranger had avoided his question entirely. Whether this had been intentional or not he wasn't sure, but either way he found it slightly suspicious. Waving a hand in light dismissal, The Vagabond raised his gaze back to Ailill. "The games will serve the purpose they are meant too." With that, the man hoisted himself off of the box, walking back over towards the cloaked figure.
"Many worlds have heard of this 'Coliseum'. It has grown quite the reputation." He ran a finger across the brick wall at his right, stopping a few steps short of Ailill. The dull eyes fixated on Ailill had no light in them whatsoever, the voice slightly flat and monotone, despite the passion seeming to stir the body shrouded in the steel blue jacket.
"It's sure to house powerful and valuable assets." The Vagabond wasn't divulging his full research to the man, this he wouldn't allow just anyone to know about. It was his research, after all. He would tell Ailill what he felt he deserved to know, judging it fair based upon the man's own value to The Vagabond's own purposes. Tilting his head a bit, The Vagabond scratched his chin before eyeing the tall man up and down.
"Well, you're definitely plenty strong. Did you just come here to compete?"
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Post by Conrí on Mar 13, 2019 10:50:52 GMT -5
Ailill chuckled as the other man explained his thoughts on the place where they stood. So, he was at least half right with his theory, and this world was a place of renown. His smile turned from forced to sad. He looked away from Cordamora, blinking quickly and using a small weave of Water to keep his tears hidden.
The cloaked man sighed when the other man mentioned assets, knowing that he'd often used a similar term when he was neck deep in his research. "So, then, likely this place's purpose for you is one of research. Perhaps I can aid with that, after all. Of course, that means having to trust me, and..." Ailill seemed to measure the other man from head to toe under a gaze that could only be called judging. He supposed that his time as an Aes Sedai had actually paid off in that regard. "Unless my intuition is off, you really don't feel like doing that right now. Fine. As long as you put up a good fight in there, I might let you leave alive and then maybe we can work together, boy."
In all honesty, Ailill hadn't intended on threatening the person he'd just met, but, he did tire of sitting around waiting, and, besides, if he was right about this place being one of renown, then, it was also likely that she might just show up to kick him back down to his arse and then knock some sense into him.
The man sighed and waved his hand, laughing. "Sorry about that threat earlier, it was a joke." He shuddered at the thought that at one point, those fool women thought it was a good idea to make it so that they couldn't lie, but, he quickly tucked the harrowing memory back into a corner of his mind. "To answer your question, no, I'm not just here to compete, Cordamora. Well, competition is fun, but, no. I'm looking for someone, and I thought they would be here, ready to kick me arse and tell me what a damn bloody flaming fool of an idiot I've been." He blinked out of existence for a moment, wanting to check on the goat's progress, and then blinked back into the room where he'd been told to wait. "It seems like the goat is almost done with preparations, from what I could see, anyway."
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Post by hoodwink on Mar 13, 2019 11:16:30 GMT -5
The man seemed to be a flux of emotions, first appearing sad, then angry then normal(ish). It was a lot to keep up with. Emotions made his head hurt, or his heart hurt? The Vagabond couldn't really tell. The threat hadn't bothered him at all, as most people he met seemed to threaten him after getting his first impression. He was beginning to lose count of how many weapons had been pointed at him, threats hurled his way. It was all just adding up into a number he didn't care to track.
Maybe I just got one of those faces... It was an absent-minded thought, though The Vagabond still paid attention to what the cloaked man was saying. What really intrigued the wanderer was that Ailill was looking for someone. Been running into a lot of that, lately... Many of the other worlds he had visited so far, what few world travelers he met all seemed to be separated from someone. It's hard to stay connected when worlds rise and fall like whims...We're all just...scattered like this. The thought saddened the vagrant, so he shook it off.
Shortly after Ailill checked on the satyr's progress with a method similar to how he had arrived on this world, Phil emerged from the tall entryway. "Alright, boys! It's finally time!" The satyr puffed his chest up, seemingly proud of himself. Pointing at Ailill, Phil beckoned for the two to follow. "You're up first, quick guy." His hooves clacked against the bricked floor, his hefty and stout stature causing his gait to be more of a waddle than a walk. "It's gonna go based on brackets. Don't mess up!"
Once the two followed the satyr back into the Coliseum, The Vagabond was surprised at how much everything had changed. The obstacle course from earlier was gone completely, instead a simple flat square arena awaited them. The previously empty stands were now crowded with shouting and jeering people, most of which wearing odd garments fashioned by golden clasps that left half of their torso exposed. Are these the locals of this world...? There were people of all types, even some that seemed more radiant or mystical. The Vagabond had never seen so many people in one gathering. The shouts and cheers were defeaning.
Urging Ailill forward, Phil hollered out his advice: "I got three words of advice for ya: DON'T LOSE!" With that, the satyr blew a horn. Where he had gotten it or pulled it out from, no one knew. The arena suddenly was walled off with transparent walls of light, the edges brimming for a moment before blending in with the environment. It seemed that the battles would be boxed in for the crowds safety. In the middle of the arena appeared a multitude of Heartless. It seems like this was the first wave.
The Vagabond eyed all of this warily, wondering exactly how Heartless were able to sign up and compete in competitions, rather than simply rampaging and slaughtering civilians like usual. Ignoring this odd and seemingly crucial detail, his dull green eyes focused on Ailill, his breath halting.
Hm...these one's aren't that powerful. He was eyeing the Heartless that had emerged as Ailill's enemies. It seemed he would have to get to later stages in order to find a suitable test subject. He grew antsy, waiting for his turn.
[[In the ARENA: 5 Shadow Heartless 4 Soldiers 3 Yellow Opera's]]
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Post by Conrí on Mar 13, 2019 20:14:36 GMT -5
Ailill looked around the arena, and, he smirked. He was reminded of Swords once again, but, it looked like his opponents were weird little creatures. Sighing, he drew his claymore. It was nothing flashy, just a plain sword. He still dashed forward and danced through the Shadows and Soldiers easily enough. He exhaled softly, and then stared at the yellow ones.
The cloaked man jumped out of the way of a lightning bolt. And another. He leapt up into the air and knocked the strange creatures out of the sky. He didn't want to do anything too flashy right now. Based on what the goat said, he would be facing off against stronger foes. He did notice Cordamora watching him, though. He grinned at the man as he took out the last few enemies.
"It's done, then." He said and sheathed his blade.
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Post by hoodwink on Mar 13, 2019 23:00:43 GMT -5
The Vagabond watched as the cloaked man reduced the multiple heartless to nothing within a few short moments. He really is strong. There was no doubt about it. Even though Ailill had done nothing too flashy, he had noticed the warriors footwork and speed, the powerful strikes of the heavy sword that looked impossible for The Vagabond himself to carry. The man couldn't help but grin and clap along with the crowd as Ailill finished off the remaining enemies. "Nice work!" The researcher gave a broad smile and a thumbs up. Phil was jumping up and down, shouting out how he had never doubted the newcomer.
Next up was The Vagabond's turn, the man walked with a sluggish gate into the square arena. As the transparent light walls went up around the square, forming a barrier, the contenders appeared. Of course, it was more Heartless. Hm... The Vagabond watched as a multitude of Soldiers appeared, followed by a few Gargoyles and Blue Operas. It seemed the goat was testing his strength, or at least the vagrant thought as much.
Walking into the middle of the stage, The Vagabond took count of the enemies on the opposing side of him. There were four Soldiers, three Gargoyles and four Blue Operas. Tch. They're sending me small fry. None of these Heartless would make decent test subjects. He had already fought plenty of these kind on Radiant Garden. As the Heartless surged forward, pools of darkness emerged from the mans back over the steel blue jacket. Jutting out from the pools of darkness were two gigantic Darkside arms. The two arms rose from the man's back, protecting him from the ice shards that burst forth. Made from Darkness and not his own limbs, The Vagabond felt no pain.
Forming mighty fists, the two arms lashed forward, mimicking The Vagabonds own arm movements. He stood perfectly still as the arms lashed out and crushed two of the Gargoyles and Blue Operas that had been flying towards him. Nothing remained of the enemy but faint wisps of darkness. No hearts were released. It was sheer destruction. The other Heartless were heedless to the destruction of their comrades, marching forth to devour the faint heart they detected on the battlefield. Still stationary, The Vagabond moved his arms to command the large ones protruding from his back.
The long Darkside arms swept across the battlefield, knocking most of the Soldiers into the light barrier, causing them to poof in wisps of darkness, vanishing into the nothingness. Only three left. His assumption had been correct, none of these were worth his time. Frustrated, The Vagabond finally moved. Jumping into the air, the two Darkside hands came together, forming one gigantic crushing fist that pummeled the remaining Heartless into oblivion.
Standing up straight, the large arms shrunk back into the mans back, not leaving a trace of their existence. Waving a hand as the crowd cheered, The Vagabond hurried off of the stage. Phil hopped in place, his eyes wide as he hollered. "Unbelievable! I didn't think ya had it in ya, bum!" The Vagabond didn't let the satyr's remark bother him. His dull eyes fell on Ailill, wondering what the man thought.
Phil blew a whistle, signaling the crowd for intermission. As many dispersed from the benches to find refreshments or snacks, The Vagabond walked over next to the cloaked man. "Hey, you're pretty good~" It was a genuine compliment. "This contest is probably no sweat for you, huh?"
He was curious about the mans strength, as he showed a lot of potential. The Vagabond was curious as to what else he might have up his sleeve. I hope stronger Heartless come out soon... His dull eyes looked around the arena. He was growing impatient, despite his body being grateful for the rest. Using the darkness always took its toll eventually, though he hardly noticed the strain these days.
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Post by Conrí on Mar 14, 2019 15:30:15 GMT -5
Ailill watched Cordamora and noted the man's hidden strengths with some awe. He kept his face straight and serious, though, and, he also started to think that he'd given the man the wrong name. Not Heart of the People...more like...Ba'alzaemon. Heart of Darkness. He still clapped slightly when the others did as the match ended, but, he wondered just how the man had come into contact with such power. We can't let him go on. Not with that kind of power, what if he hurts Tamara?
Tamara isn't even here. Besides, he could be of use yet. As his better part fell silent, Ailill smirked. The goat had blown a whistle, and then people started shuffling out to a concessions stand of sorts. He sighed and decided to go over and see if anything struck his fancy. He settled on wine and some bread. He channeled a bit into his cup to make it spiced and chilled.
He bowed his head slightly when Cordamora complimented him. "You prove to be entertaining to watch yourself." Ailill stared at the man and thought about his question. "In truth, this contest is meaningless to me. It's merely a way to pass the time while training my skills."
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Post by hoodwink on Mar 14, 2019 21:13:56 GMT -5
The Vagabond didn't have much of an appetite or thirst. Battling always kept him on edge, sharp and observant despite his rather dull and spacey gaze. Rubbing his shoulder, the researcher gave a sheepish grin at Ailill's comment at him being 'entertaining' to watch. At hearing how the main was simply training, The Vagabond couldn't help but raise a brow. He seems plenty strong, already... His thoughts were interrupted by the blowing of a horn. Phil had set up a small chair and was currently sitting up, eager to get the games going again. Once the crowd settled into their seats, the satyr filled the arena with his voice. "Alright contenders, prepare yourselves! The games will resume, proceeding in the same order!" The Vagabond was impressed at the small creature's voice. He could shout over a Hydra! It seemed it would be Ailill's turn again. Appearing onto the stage from pools of darkness, two Large Body heartless emerged, as well as a hulking Defender. It seemed that this stage would be harder than the first. The Vagabond backed away from the arena, luckily still able to get a good view of the cloaked man on the floor of the Coliseum. Once the man would enter the arena, the large transparent walls of light would surround the stage, creating a barrier to protect those watching the games. Staring at the hulking monsters, The Vagabond bit his thumb while crossing his arms over his chest. Could I manage to bring one of those back? He had gotten more powerful since the previous worlds he had visited...but he wasn't sure if he could even manage to fit one of those lumbering beasts into his lab. "Maybe I'm being too picky?" The Vagabond muttered to himself as Ailill's match began. The Large Body's were slow and sluggish, swinging their large arms from side to side. Behind them, the Defender's shield was beginning to spin, the Cerberus head's eyes beginning to glow a bright red on the front.
A fireball hurled across the arena, aimed directly for the cloaked warrior.
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Post by Conrí on Mar 14, 2019 21:43:53 GMT -5
Ailill smirked and appeared on the battlefield. One thing he was certain of, Cordamora was watching. He nearly laughed when the fireball from the Defender sped toward him, blinking out of the way just before it and the arms of the Large Bodies could touch him. He appeared right behind the Defender and slashed at it until it lowered to its knee, and then he ran through its throat with his claymore. The Large Bodies scratched their heads in confusion.
The cloaked man sneered. He cut them down to size before they could even turn around. The creatures lumbered, and he had fought faster and far worse things before. An image of a bolt of magic taking off her arm caused him to scream out in rage. "This is pointless. I need to fight something that actually moves and thinks," he muttered to himself.
Then, Ailill's eyes fell on Cordamora. He pointed his sword at the goat and then at the boy. "Goat," He said, raising his voice to a boom with a simple weave, "I wish to give these people a real show." He'd also noted how his companion had been eyeing the creatures. He sauntered off the arena platform and sheathed his sword. He carried a whisper on a weave of Air, "You want one of those creatures, don't you? I think I can help."
The cloaked man turned to the goat, sending a whisper to him as well. "After the kid's next match, I think it would be interesting to pit us in the arena against each other and stronger creatures."
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Post by hoodwink on Mar 14, 2019 22:41:11 GMT -5
The Vagabond was impressed to say the least. Large Body's and Defender's were pretty high level monsters, ones that The Vagabond himself didn't find easy to manage. Ailill made quick work of the three lumbering beasts, seeming to grow frustrated with how easy the entire thing was. "You want one of these creatures, don't you?" The message was a faint whisper, seemingly the wind itself spoke and tickled The Vagabond's ears as his hairs stood on edge. What!? How did he!? His dull green eyes widened slightly before he recovered from the surprise. It seemed this Ailill' character was sharper than the vagrant had given him credit for. Him? Help? He was slightly wary, the man had a mischievous look in his eyes that The Vagabond wasn't eager to trust. He is crazy strong. He could probably capture one of these Heartless easily. It was a tempting offer, though the fact the cloaked man had picked up on his main intent was unnerving. An image flashed before the man's mind, one of a younger boy with similar brown hair and green eyes that beamed with light. Lief... From the outside it looked like the man had completely checked out of reality, his dull matte eyes staring vacantly at the ground, unblinking as he stood in still silence. Shaking his head a bit, The Vagabond snapped out of his thoughts and gave a smile to the cloaked man. "I'll gladly accept any help you're offering, but is the help free?" The promise of gaining a new test subject was too good, The Vagabond unable to pass up such a chance, being the ample opportunist that he was. He didn't notice Phil eyeing the two of them, rubbing his chin as though deep in thought. He figured there had to be something the man would want in return. Let the two of 'em fight it out, eh? There was a gnawing feeling in the back of the satyr's mind, though he chalked it up to Herc making him too soft. Hearing the cheering from the crowd that had erupted, Phil looked over at the cloaked man who had struck the bargain with him. Meeting Ailill's gaze, Phil nodded firmly, looking over at The Vagabond after. Good luck, string bean... The fight would be entertaining, sure to keep the locals talking and returning to the Coliseum for another season.
The Vagabond stepped into the arena, stretching out and cracking his knuckles as the tall light barriers were thrown up. This time four Fat Bandit's emerged onto the field, causing the man to groan audibly. He hated enemies that we're immune to frontal attacks. Just as the whistle was blown to signal the start of the match, the large Darkside arms from before emerged from The Vagabonds back. The large hands pushed against the arena, allowing the man to leap high above the enemies and behind them. One swift punch launched one Fat Bandit in the back of the squad into the light barrier, causing it to evaporate into a wisp of darkness immediately. The others were quicker than their fallen comrade. Spinning on their heels, one of the Fat Bandits set to work at sending a barrage of fireballs The Vagabond's way, just as the other two jumped up and onto the arena floor, sending powerful shockwaves rippling through the arena. One of the Darkside arms quickly raised, blocking the rain of fireballs that was coming down upon him. The shockwaves had caught him off guard, causing The Vagabond to lose his footing and fall onto his backside, the Fat Bandit's rushing in with their large fists, ready to pummel their prey. One large Darkside hand lashed out, grabbing onto one of the Fat Bandits heads, squeezing as hard as it could. Crushing the Heartless in its powerful grasp, the other large Darkside arm set to work propping up The Vagabond, who was still slightly dazed as he shook his head. It seemed that the large dark arms could move of their own accord. Just as The Vagabond steadied himself, one of the remaining Fat Bandits slapped its robust gut, hurling itself forward in a dangerous charge directly towards the man. Acting mostly on reflex, The Vagabond ran towards the large Heartless, reaching out with his own arms so that the Darkside arms would do the same. As the Fat Bandit hurtled towards The Vagabond, the large dark arms reached out and above the Heartless, snatching it up by cupping it from both sides in its firm grasp. Using the momentum of the charge, The Vagabond spun on his heels, heaving the large Heartless into a spinning motion with the assistance of the gigantic arms protruding from his back.
Swinging in a full circle multiple times, the large Darkside arms finally released their hold on the Fat Bandit, hurling it directly into its comrade. Both Heartless were destroyed instantly in puffs of vapor as The Vagabond crashed to the ground, the large arms of darkness disappearing from his torso. His body swayed as the man sat on his backside, rubbing his head as he blinked hard. "Dizzy..."
The crowd erupted in applause and roaring laughter. It seemed his match was over!
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Post by Conrí on Mar 15, 2019 13:53:58 GMT -5
Ailill just smiled when Cordamora asked if his help offered would be free or not. Smart man. The cost shouldn't be too much. He chuckled slightly. "It will only cost you a favor, so, it's free enough, but, in exchange, we can go after whatever creature you want."
The cloaked man watched Cordamora with interest. The lad seemed to think on his feet alright, and, he seemed to be stronger than anyone really thought possible. That really could make him useful, but, it would soon be time to test that. Another whisper out to Phil on the thinnest weave of Air possible, "Make sure the Heartless are big and strong when we're facing off, too. It will make for a sight like no other."
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Post by hoodwink on Mar 15, 2019 19:14:50 GMT -5
Phil's doubts about his next decision lessened as he watched The Vagabond vanquish the four powerful Fat Bandit's in an impressive amount of time. Seems he's stronger than he looks. To be honest, the satyr hadn't expected much from the man. The fact he made it this far impressed him. Cupping his hands, the stout coach shouted towards the crowd with the new situation that was about to unfold. "Alright, everyone, get ready! Today we have a special treat! THE NEXT MATCH WILL BE A FREE-FOR-ALL!" As The Vagabond heard this, he groaned as he forced himself to stand up in the middle of the arena, having fought the dizziness from before off. "ALL CONTESTANTS TO THE ARENA!" The Vagabond's heart fell into his stomach. A free-for-all? His dull eyes fell upon Ailill, a nervousness settling in to his bones. He had already witnessed the cloaked man's power, not looking forward to having to face against it. A free-for-all meant that anything went, they were open to attack anyone or anything that was in the arena. He thought of the man's swordsmanship and odd abilities, what little hope he had dying before the other contestant had even entered the ring. Shit. This won't be easy. Having waited for Ailill to enter the arena, Phil sent up the transparent light barrier that kept the crowd from harm around the arena. As the two contestants stood on each side of the arena, the empty sides of the square platform were soon filled with powerful Heartless. Invisibles hovered with their menacing swords, Defenders swirling their Cerberus shields as Angel Star's began to soar through what little sky they had. Altogether it seemed like a powerful bunch, The Vagabond not knowing most of these types of creatures. He had fought a few Defender's on Radiant Garden, but had never seen any of the others before. Crap, Phil really isn't pulling any punches here! Gritting his teeth, the researcher wondered why exactly he was being tormented. Giving a half-hearted smile to the man that he was about to face, The Vagabond had a rather sheepish comment: "Try and go easy on me, ya?" The satyr blew the whistle and the game was off! The Angel Stars began to soar towards the two with hearts, the Invisible's vanishing from sight as the Defenders began to hone their fireballs. All in all it was a lot happening, The Vagabond attempting to keep his eye out for the vanishing Heartless. Maybe they would be good... Already the man was thinking of his research and which Heartless he would want to try and capture, remembering Ailill's comment: "It will only cost you a favor. In exchange, we can go after whatever creature you want." It was too good a chance to pass up. I can owe this guy a favor. It seemed like a fair enough trade. He had to snap out of his thoughts as three fireballs rushed towards him, causing him to leap backwards as the large Darkside arms protruded from his back. Just as he landed on his feet, an Invisible appeared behind The Vagabond, attempting to run him through with its blade. Luckily the arms at the man's back were quick, acting on their own as one of them grabbed the oncoming sword, the other forming a fist as it punched the Invisible square on. To his surprise, the Heartless didn't fade afterwards. It can take more than one punch!!! This hadn't happened to him before. He had hardly come across any Heartless other than major powerful ones that could sustain more than one direct hit from his dark fists. Excitement coursed through him as The Vagabond turned on his heels, running after the Invisible he had just hit, only to be stopped by an Angel Star, which swirled through the air in a corkscrew, slamming into the researcher's side. The large Darkside arm on his right took the brunt of the hit, but The Vagabond was still sent flying through the air. The Darkside arms coiled around the man, sheltering him from any damage the fall would have caused as he landed on the edge of the Arena. He looked up, the large dark arms from his back lifting up and raising to his sides, forming large and powerful fists. It was time to fight! Wait a minute! He had forgotten, this was a free-for-all. Suddenly whipping around on his heels, The Vagabond's dull green eyes searched for Ailill, wondering what the cloaked man was up to.
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Post by Conrí on Mar 16, 2019 15:28:23 GMT -5
Ailill watched the battle field for a moment. He noticed how some of the monsters seemed to disappear, and how Cordamora looked at them with longing. "Oh, I'm so sorry, but, there's only one dimensional king in this game!" Without much thought, he suspended the Angel Stars and the Invisibles with Hardened Air and let Lightning Storm brew over the arena. With a snap of his fingers, he forced an Invisible and an Angel Star into a stasis state within a pocket dimension.
"The two you were eyeing, though, you'll have to tell me where to send them later." Ailill's voice carried in a whisper as he also turned and faced the man who seemed to now be seeking him out. He used his dimension clones to take out the Defenders with the help of the lightning, and then the remaining Angel Star and Invisible without really breaking a sweat. The nausea started to creep into him, and the fever of wanton surged through his brain, and he found himself charging at the man, having a weave of Fire at the ready that formed into a fireball.
The man struck out with his claymore as well. "After this, I want you to follow me for a bit. First to Castle Oblivion, and then, depending on what happens there, possibly to a world I know of. Also, don't ask too many questions. This is the favor I ask of you." His eyes gleamed with pleasure and anticipation. "Don't hold back. It's not like I'll burn you out of the Pattern or anything. This is a game, after all, but, try to show me I was right about you, Cordamora." As he spoke, he'd slid from swordplay into a martial art that jabbed at Cordamora's pressure points.
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