"Hmm, so it seems we'll be waiting a bit. I'm going to work on recharging what motes I can in the meantime then, I suspect I'll need everything I can when we confront Black Dain."

I'll sit in a lotus position and close my eyes and focus on collecting motes from around me. I'm not trying to be selective on what motes I absorb, just trying to refill what I can. I won't be using the mote pump for now, since I'm down a relatively small number of motes and don't want to exhaust myself by using it.
This message was last edited by the GM at 12:53, Mon 26 Aug 2019.

"I doubt we will have to wait long for them to trigger the next path forward. And they will have to wait for us to trigger something. It seems that they made this tower that only two people working towards going up can advance."

You note that Ringo seems to want to go head and move forward as fast as possible But he is deferring to you for now.
How long do you plan on gathering motes?(The Rate is one minute per wind mote)

OOC: The Path to the next floor is open since you put the Sphere in the Door.
This message was last edited by the GM at 12:54, Mon 26 Aug 2019.

OOC:Bleh, I completely skipped over that in my reading. I was thinking that we were at a point that we had to wait for the others based on Ringo's statement. I wouldn't stop and try to recharge then.

I'll move forward without stopping to recharge my motes, heading up the stairs and looking around to see what's in the next room.

You climb up the stairs with Ringo. And enter another arena like room with a pedestal in the middle that has a depression for the soulsteel orb.

Then A giant made of sunlight forms to guard it. You sense a campfire sized soul of sunlight in it. And you sense a connection to something else in the other tower.
This message was last edited by the GM at 14:23, Mon 26 Aug 2019.

I get ready to draw my darkness dagger and has an epiphany, and back up slightly.

"Ringo, I think we're making a mistake. Why did Black Dain admit to where he was going? Not only in such a way that Leona found out but stating out right he would be here. You said this place needs to be openned by a pair, I think he's using us to open the pathway. We have to get back to the others."

I'm not pausing for Ringo to acknowledge, I assume he'll follow me. As I dash back out the door I'll see whether or not I can remove the soulsteel orb that opened the stairs up to here. If so I'll remove it as soon as Ringo is out, and then rush down the stairs and out the tower and into the darkness tower.

You tell Ringo your epiphany and turn to go down. But you hear a slow clapping in front of you.

 A figure emerges and you note the Similarities to Kyotsu and you are sure it is Kyotsu. But his golden hair and fur have been blacked with inky Darkness. His healthy tan haens been replaced with an unhealthy pale parlor. And his kind green eyes have been replaced by cruel red eyes. He has a cruel smirk that seems to mock the pain of the world. Even his gi has been blackened.

"Bravo, Bravo. I was hoping you fools would open the way for me to break your spirit that much more. Still now that I have this masterpiece of a body, I don't even need you fools to get to the top. That fool of a progenitor never expected that his souls could be possessed. But I wormed into his heart through his seeds of envy just like anyone else."

He smiles as souls of Darkness come from the other tower and attack the Giant.

"It seems your friends need your help or they will die. I tell you what. I will race you to the top of the tower. All you have to do is go through the Giant. I will just break my way to the top."
This message was last edited by the GM at 16:49, Wed 28 Aug 2019.

I am so tired of this guys manipulation of my friends, I quake momentarily with anger before I center myself, focused on a new plan. I draw my darkness blade and channel darkness motes to do a teleport hop before Kyotsu. I'm burning a strong level of solar motes to focus on perfection of strike, water motes to lend to the fluidity of motion, and earth motes to increase strength, all while wrapping myself in darkness motes to teleport hop and embed my dagger into Black Dain Kyotsu's spine. Once I'm there I'm also burning through all my fire motes to let out a searing aura of heat as I slash viciously at Black Dain/Kyotsu.

I am planning to dump literally every mote I have into this one all out attack. I'm activating my mote pump to start leaching any and every mote, turned as high as I can get. If I can leach motes from Kyotsu/Black Dain or the Giant itself all the better. I'm also looking to leach sidereal motes if at all possible using the mote pump.

My plan is two-fold here, Black Dain likes to talk, and my anger is driving me to quick enough action that I think I may catch him flat-footed and be able to end him. Barring that, I'm looking to spike enough magic in one very consolidated place to attract the sidereal spiders. While I can stop using magic, that's not so much an option for a being that's currently possessing a highly magical entity, both due to the possession magic itself and the magical nature I imagine Kyotsu exudes.

"Well I'll be off n-"
You suddenly cut him off and teleport behind him with Darkness. Aura burning with the shear magnitude of magic you are using. You pierce through the fluff that is his tails, severing one about a foot from the base. He moves impossibly fast dodging even as you sever one of his tails. You pierce the protective layer of his Legend, the shield against reality that allows him to exist. And stab him in the kidney, tearing a hole in reality inside him. You also set him on fire with the conflation of your aura.

Kyotsu flickers as Dain uses Kyotsu's speed. He appears before you with his right fist less than an inch from your face. Shaking with an internal strain.
His eyes turn green for a few moments.
"Kill... Me... Michael..."

The Eyes turn red again and he appears before the exit. Tails smoldering.
"What fool creates a Martial Arts spirit that can't attack to kill?"

You are drawing on everything with your mote pump. You are drawing mostly Solar and Wind. But you do manage to get 5 motes of Endings and 5 motes of Kyotsuian Essence that leaked from the fatal hole in his Legend. You see the results of your strike. The Pattern Spiders are binding Kyotsu and Dain in purple threads of Endings. Sealing his abilities and Weakening him.

"I WILL NOT BE DENIED!!! NO ONE WILL STOP THE COMING OF JÖRMUNGANDR!!!"
Dain starts burning Kyotsu's Essence at a fast rate. Forming a blue and black aura around Kyotsu. Loosing the bindings from the Essence spend. He then flickers and disappears.

The Giant is gone. Your mote pump ate it.
Ringo is staring slack jawed at you..

I nod as I turn back and see the Giant gone, that solves that problem.

"Let's move Ringo, we don't have long and while I'm sure the reality spiders are more angered by his unnatural presence I wouldn't like to hang around them too long while running this high on magic."

If he wants to reply, he can do so while running, I can't stay in this room, and I can't give Black Dain extra time. I rush to the depression for the soulsteel orb and set it in place, bracing to take whichever way opens up. I'm keeping my soulpump running, but not burning motes currently, I need to recharge but also need to be respectful of the reality spiders.

Otherwise, it's just a mad dash up the tower.

And just to clarify, the Endings motes, they're from the reality spiders not Black Dain right? How do they feel to me? How does the Kyotsuian essence feel?

The Endings motes are from the excessive Endings Threads around Black Dain/Kyotsu whick the Spiders made. It feels like preordained endings like Fated Deaths, the Ends of Eras and the end of winter to give away to a new spring.

You feel the nature of Kyotsu through his Essence. On it's surface you find Protection, Speed and perfecting the Martial Arts. You also get a faint taste of the Essence he came from, a Spiral that always goes up to more power. But the Fundamental nature of the Essence is Violence turned against itself. To negate Violence with Violence. To turn the Violence back on the one committing the Violence.


You put the Orb in the slot and a door opens up to stairs that go up. The Tower shakes with a massive hit up top. But it still stands. You rush up the tower and exit a the top there is a platform that connects the two towers together with a building that has a massive hole in its front. Leona and Selene exit out the other side of the platform.

Black Dain/Kyotsu is in the building and is operating the panel with inhuman speed. There is a final press. And then the towers shake with an Earthquake.
Then he smashes the panel.

"It is done. I did it. The world will end just like the Will of the Galaxy wants."

He turns to face all of you.
"You can't stop my plan now. The Doomsday Beast Jörmungandr is awakening. The Ancestor Piece that even Immortals fear. The Binding Spear is withdrawn.

You have gathered about 30 solar motes from the giant. The rest is filled with wind.

Ok, so I gained 30 Solar motes, I had also gained 5 endings, and 5 kyotsuian right? 9 reserved between the hat/bracers and the dagger, and the balance filled with wind.
So 30 Solar, 5 endings, 5 Kyotsuian, 21 Wind.

"What was sealed once can be sealed again, but your end comes first Black Dain. Ringo, Leona, Selene, let's finish him."

I'll rush forward, burning a high burn of wind motes to aid speed and medium burn on solar motes for perfection of movement, looking to land my darkness dagger on Black Dain/Kyotsu. I'm looking for the opportunities where I see Kyotsu struggle for control to land the blows, knowing that he is a protector and wants to prevent Black Dain as much as I do. Hopefully my dagger can cut away at Black Dain enough that Kyotsu can get free but if not, perhaps I will see him elsewhere in the verse.

Either way, I'm pressing hard, trying to eliminate Black Dain before this Jormungandr awakens and I have to deal with two at a time.

I'm also keeping my mote pump on constantly for this fight, or at least for now. I'm going to be burning a lot of magic, need to keep my supply as strong as possible.

Michael, what happens if we kill Kyotsu while Black Dain is still possessing him?


You and Leona charge Black Dain but he is paying attention to you. You strike burning a significant amout of wind and solar motes. You feel space bend oddly as Dain uses Kyotsu's skill to redirect your strike to Leona. Kyotsu manages to resist enough to only strike her staff with your dagger. Cutting it in half.

Dain moves away smirking at you.
Selene starts forming a Black Hole to immobilize Kyotsu like she did with Ringo.
Ringo fires his solar gun. But Dain bats the shots directly into Selene. Hitting her and almost disrupting her spell.

Ringo puts away his Solar Gun. And forms a sword.

You have a good point, we have to get him out of Kyotsu.

"Stop! I called it wrong, focus on getting prepared for Jormungandr. It was sealed once, we have to figure out how to do so again. I'll take care of Black Dain... Kyotsu's nature won't let a frontal attack win, he'll be able to redirect our attacks against ourselves too easily."

Assuming the others follow my direction without even looking to confirm, I face Black Dain/Kyotsu directly and say, "Get out of my friend Dain. You have lost, life has always and will always persevere, and I stand to protect the balance."

Kyotsu's magic naturally can turn violence against itself. I'm not going to try and be violent. I'm going to try and channel a massive amount of healing energy into Kyotsu, a virtual torrent for Kyotsu to latch onto and use to expel Black Dain. Mote Pump running full bore and pouring everything into giving Kyotsu the healing energy he needs to fight against the possession.

Black Dain stands there with his arms folded over Kyotsu's chest, glaring at you for figuring out Kyotsu's nature. The others back off.

You make your speach and then unleash the torrent of magic that shines with opalescent light. You feel Resistance at first. But it splits. Kyotsu wants to let it through and Dain wants to resist it. But you get through with Kyotsu helping to draw it in and wash away Dain's lone Resistance.

He asorbs the magic for a bit with Black Dain screaming in pain.
Unfortunately Kyotsu is not using it to heal. The wound on Kyotsu's back ignites with blue fire, golden fire and Opalescent fire. And they are starting to burn away Kyotsu's skin.

"WHAT!?! What are you doing. This will kill you as well!"
"I choose my time to go into the void. I have no fear of Death."

His skin peels away and burns to nothing revealing a body of blue and golden fire. That is shot through with pitch black veins. Kyotsu uses your magic to burn more and more furiously. Until Black Dain launches himself out of Kyotsu. And forms into a black puttle.

Kyotsu starts breaking up are you feel him smile at you.
"Goodbye Michael. I hope to see you again someday. Perhaps, given time,  my progenitor will learn restraint and can join you Protecting the worlds."

With that the fires that was Kyotsu fade from this world.

Unfortunately Black Dain is not done yet.
He pulls himself out of the puddle of inky blackness in a form that mocks Kyotsu's made of solidified shadows.  You sense that he is burning his own Essence at a fast rate.

I give Kyotsu a respectful bow, acknowledging his sacrifice and honor, "I likewise hope to see you again someday Kyotsu. I thank you, for all you have taught and the virtues you exhibit. May the path treat you kindly, goodbye, for now, my friend."

My voice is a mix of admiration, sadness, and determination as I say my goodbye to Kyotsu.

When Black Dain forms his mockery of Kyotsu's form I turn to him coldly, "You have no right to that form. Be Gone."

I draw the darkness dagger, and charge Black Dain. I'm really attacking on two fronts. The first is the physical where I'm trying to cut away at him, piece by piece, with the dagger as I dodge in and out of his attack range. The second is leaching his resources. He's burning his essence, and I'm sucking in all essence. I'm hoping between the two I'll be able to deplete his reservoir, and the second that he can't continue burning his own essence at this rate I plan to strike a finishing blow.

Everyone attacks Black Dain at the same time as you. He is simultaneously more and less dangerous than Kyotsu. He doesn't have Kyotsu's nature holding him back anymore but he also doesn't have Kyotsu's bullshit techniques. He is using a style that you never seen before. A style that mocks discipline and shows contempt for the weak. A lack of discipline that is singularly suited to Murder.

Despite loosing much of Kyotsu's insane speed, He is still very quick and manages to dodge the worst of the assault against him. Receiving nicks here and there. Most of his attacks are directed at you and they are extremely dangerous. They would tear limbs off, pulp organs and gore eyes out if they ever connected.

You feel him being drawn to Selene's trap. He is too drained to resist the magic. He is bound in a sphere of darkness. You immediately take advantage of his immobility and strike several fatal blows.
"it... doesn't matter that you won against me... This... World... Is... Finnished..."
With that Vex appears in her fox form and rips his heart out and proceeds to eat it.

I smile as my blade strikes home and Vex finishes Black Dain. I rest my hand on Vex's head and scratch her behind the ears "Nicely done Vex, and thank you everyone."<Aqua> and I look about tiredly to see what signs of this Jormungandr waking there are and I turn back to the others, <Aqua>"So what do we know of this Jormungandr? It has to have been sealed away initially right? We just have to figure it out..."

You scratch Vex behind the ears and she really seems to enjoy it. You note that she feels stronger. On par with the others now. She now has a second tail but it is not moving quite right. She moves it but her shadows don't quite keep up. You see that the tail's fur is silver with a few bits of gold fur left.  You feel that she has a minor association with Speed, Protection and Martial Arts now.

The Tower rumbles and shakes again with a Earthquake that lasts for about 30 seconds. Once everyone gets back up Selene speaks

"Looks like Jormungandr will wake up soon. When I worked for the Immortals I heard a little about it. They described it as an Eternal. Beyond even the Immortals.  Something that Death can not apply to. It seems to be mindless but it's instinct is to consume everything.

It was so dangerous that the Dark Tribe of Immortals worked with their hated enemies The Solar Tribe and the Lunar Tribe to seal Jormungandr by dropping one of the Solar Tribe's flying cities on top of it..

Perhaps if we remake the seals... They sealed it before.  Maybe it isn't immune to damage. We might be able to knock it out and reseal it again.

We would need to fix the seals and then Find a way to open the path to Jormungandr. It was said that was controlled by the Lunar Tribe."
This message was last edited by the GM at 03:26, Sat 19 Oct 2019.

I smile as I see Vex's tail, "It appears you have a part of Kyotsu now, I don't know how you managed that, but I am pleased. Perhaps you are fated to earn 9 tails. There are legends from my original world of infinitely wise Kitsune who had as many."


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

"Ok, well let's not waste time, I think identifying the magic behind the seals should be the first step. I'll investigate this last seal that broke, probing it to determine it's magic. Selene and Ringo, if you could each pick two of the other seals that broke and investigate them that would be ideal. And Leona, can you check with Smith? Perhaps he knows how to forge new seals if we can't just repair these. Everyone should keep an eye to the sky and fire an elemental projectile from their gun up if they need everyone to regroup. Otherwise meet back here if you know how to handle your seal."

I'll go over to the last seal that Black Dain broke and set my hand on it, closing my eyes and reaching inwards to identify any residue of magic I can sense. I'm suspecting they may be an artifact and I might be able to project myself into it and discuss with the artifact as I did with the Earth Dragon.

Vex smiles in a self satisfied manner.
"You cut off one of the symbols of his power. I couldn't let that go to waste."

====================

"I think we will need Smith's help anyway to fix the seals"

"Gather around me. I will take us down to the bottom."

Assuming you let her she takes the group to the bottom of the tower.

You walk to the water ways and the Aqueduct and go to the room that held the seal. You examine the broken seal. It seems that it was designed to channel the magic that gathers in this place and put it to use binding Jormungandr. They are more fragile than Artifacts as demonstrated by being able to be broken.

After touching the seal, "Interesting, they seem almost like a conduit for the natural energy here, which means they are all likely on nexus or leylines where power is naturally stronger. I think we should find Smith next.""

Once we find Smith I'll say to him, "Master Smith, we need your help. We defeated Black Dain, but not before he released the last seal on Jormungandr, and the beast is beginning to wake. Do you think you would be able to forge new seals if we delayed the beast and weakened it enough? I am sorry to ask such an immense task with so little notice."

Is the rumbling increasing? Trying to gauge whether it's waking is going to take minutes, hours, or days.

We might want to take the broken seal to Smith so he can see what he is working with.

Whether you take the pieces to Smith or not, you head to him and explain the problem.

"It is a mighty task. But I have been preparing for it since I saw the broken seal at the Cathedral. Your plan seems workable as long as we get the other townsfolk to help. And I will need the other Seals."

The earthquakes seem to be happening about once every hour or so now. It's stirring but you seem to have a bit of time to prepare.

I wasn't thinking the seals were small enough to transport, but yes I absolutely would bring it to Smith, anything to provide extra information is worthwhile.

"We'll get you the additional seals now then. Leona, it's probably best for you to rally the townsfolk to our aid, you have the strongest connection with them. Although I do want to tell Lita myself, I don't want her just hearing about it at a town center meeting."

So we have one seal already of the four, Leona will be set to rallying the townsfolk, Ringo and Selene will each be given a seal to retrieve, and I'll go find Lita and say:

"Lita! I'm glad I found you. There's a lot happening and I want to fill you in, but time is running out. Can you run with me while I get one of the broken seals?"

Assuming no objection, I'll explain on the way;
"We didn't stop Black Dain in time, he broke the last seal containing Jormungandr, but we think we have a plan to seal him away again. Smith is going to work on trying to reforge the seals while we fight Jormungandr to weaken it enough to seal it away again... I will do everything I can to protect you and this world Lita, I am so sorry I wasn't able to stop Black Dain but he is vanquished now at least."

Normally it would require two people to carry. But you can easily get help or do it yourself with some effort.

Leona nods and goes to gather the townsfolk together.

You go to Lita's house and find her
"Sure I will come with you right now."

She immediately sets her broom down and comes with you listening as you go together.

"So that is what has been causing these earthquakes. I know you will succeed Michael. Once we get the seal. We need to talk to Lady Enza of the Guild. She was the one that taught me Martial Arts before Kyotsu sifu. She is knowledgable about many arcane things. She might be able to help us."

”Speaking with her will be next on the list then, we could use all the help possible.”

So the plan is to run and get the seals, bringing them back to Smith so he can get started and then to find this Lady Enza. When we find Lady Enza I’m going to let Lita lead off as she’s got a repertoire with her already and can introduce me, hopefully favorably.

I’m going to be trying to also pick up what motes I can without exhausting myself. So not using the mote pump but absorbing what I can.