Termite: This...
Well...
Tass: (also, while I remember it, give Alex another 500 denarii. She should have gotten the angel's feather for free, and they'd have been happy to enchant her sword for free.)
Termite: Alex wasn't expecting this. Somehow she knew they would find Dina lurking somewhere in here, but to suddenly see her stirring a pot within a nightmare forest while darkness and dread hung around her was simply insane. She was so caught off guard that she nearly dropped her Pride, but she held it. And she entered freely, even without the compulsion egging her to enter. "I...see that. Thanks for inviting us in..." A quick glance was given to remind Aes to stay on her guard.
((Snaps))
Tass: Her glance showed that Aescila was as white as a sheet, her grip on Alex's hand tighter than hers had been when she'd come out of her own nightmares. "Oh, you are quite welcome... Alexandra, isn't it? I hope you don't mind me calling you Alex!" Dina replied brightly, and it was then that Alex realized that something was missing about the angel. Her wings were... Gone, as if they'd simply never been there, as there were no scars visible on the skin of her back, which was left exposed by the white robe that she wore.
Termite: "Not at all." As she used both hands to rub Aescila's as if it would put some color back on the woman's face. "I must say I'm quite surprised to find you like this. I feared I'd have to forcibly call you out."
((Did I flash offline or something?))
Tass: (No) "Oh no, I've been waiting for you for a long time! Well, someone like you, at least. How was your trip? Would you like some tea?" Dina asked, unperturbed, but Aescila cut in sharply and suddenly; "How can you be here?" Dina smiled impishly and cryptically replied; "Because I foresaw this! I knew that this would come to pass, and prepared for it accordingly."
Termite: "The welcome left something to be desired, and I'm afraid we're a little too high-strung for tea at the moment." Aes's question was quickly answered, and Alex couldn't help but reply. "I witnessed that. We both did. It begs the question: what exactly did you prepare for?"
Tass: "Why... My death of course!" Dina replied cheerily, and then settled into a rocking chair next to the fire facing them. Aescila paled further, her grip on Alex tightening. "And my resurrection~" the dead angel offered offhandedly, a cup of steaming brown liquid simply appearing in her hand as she raised it to her lips, taking a swift sip even as she continued to smile at them.
Termite: "Resurrection..." Alex remembered what she'd been told and what she remembered from Aescila's confession and the memory she gained, so she took a rather protective step in front of Aes. "How exactly will you accomplish that?"
Tass: "By taking your dear Aescila's body, and destroying her just as she attempted to destroy me." Dina replied softly, speaking as if she were discussing the weather. Alex felt Aescila stiffen, and she immediately replied; "Over my dead cold body you're doing that! I never tried to destroy you! I... They made me do it! I never wanted to hurt you, and I'm not going to lay down and die just because you said so!"
Termite: "And I won't let that happen." There was a finality in that voice, one that said there was no arguing what was said, but as much as it appeared she was ready for battle Alex didn't attack. "But let me ask you this. I lived through the day you died. From her perspective. What she was forced to do scared her, especially as it started. She told me you could have easily overwhelmed her then. It would have been simple. And I can confirm that. So why wait til now?"
Tass: Their statements only caused Dina to grin more broadly and take another sip of her tea. "Oh I know, the poor poor dear~" the angel crooned mockingly, "She had to watch the pretty blonde girl get her throat slit, had to gobble up all of her soul and get all of that power~ Such a victim!" Dina laughed, loudly, but there was no joy to be found in the sound, and when she stopped the grin that she wore was plainly sadistic. "I could have, but then what would I have done? Weakened, trapped in a body far weaker than my own, one unaccustomed to using any real power.... And still surrounded by demons. I would have accomplished nothing but burning up another useless succubus, and there were those to be had aplenty in Artmirst!" >> (that means I'm going to keep going)
Tass: The angel rose gracefully to her feet, teacup still clutched in her hand. "But my visions showed me something else.... An alternative. I could hide, inside of her. Keeping her blind to me was easy.... You are pathetically weak willed~" she directed the comment at Aescila, raising her teacup as if in a toast, and the demoness stiffened suddenly behind Alex. "So instead, here we are! Aescila here ready to burn away, and you.... Dear Alex...." she toasted to Alex and took a sip, "You allowed for all of it~ I couldn't have asked for a better assistant, and I didn't even know you could! I figured I would have to wait centuries for Aescila here to get over herself on her own, but you.... You not only made her perfect for me, but you made this struggle soooo much easier on me!"
Termite: ((What's the status of Alex's equipment?))
Tass: (treat it as if it was enchanted for the purpose of laziness)
(she can call it to her at will, and it'll just appear on her)
Termite: "You must not have been paying attention." A flash of fire sparked around her body, and as it roared for no more than an instant her gear suddenly fell into place all around her. "I'm not going to give her up. Not to you, not to Fate, and not without a fight."
(Shielf Cover if an attack is made, Alex won't throw the first punch.)
Tass: "Oh dear Alex.... You really don't understand yet, do you?" Dina said, smiling. "You already handed her to me on a silver platter~" There came a soft choking noise from behind Alex, and shimmers appeared from Dina's back, slowly taking the form of a pair of angelic wings.
Termite: For a moment Alex went into a panic when she heard the choke, but her draconic side kicked in and refused to let her act in fear. Instead she went directly to Aescila's aid, her shield still ready to defend her love while the hand that held her sword flew up to the demon's neck and pressed two fingers gently against her. If Alex's power helped Dina overtake Aes then it could also help protect her. She called on her beastial nature, the arrogance of kings and tyrants and beings nearly as ancient as the world itself, and she poured that arrogance into Aescila. And she kept pouring until whatever connection Dina held over the demon simply broke.
Tass: (hrm)
Termite: (I'm thinking Dragon's Pride on Aes since that's mechanically possible)
Tass: (it is?)
Termite: (Using perception to try and gauge how strong it needs to be, and if she can't then go X=10)
You said Spirit Buffs could be transferred like Mage Buffs
Tass: (When did I say this? D: )
Termite: (Awhile ago)
(I'll change if that's wrong)
Tass: (That.... Technically isn't possible. I don't when I said that, but when I did I was being a derp. I think there's one that you can transfer, Astrologer's Boon, and that's a special thing. You can keep doing that, and I'll just treat it like she's aiding Aescila.)
Termite: (Okie dokes)
Tass: When she turned, Alex found that Aescila was..... Crumbling. There was no other word for it. Pieces of her, starting with the feathers of her black wings but taking place all across her body, were simply falling off of her and vanishing into wisps of light. That light flitted across the room to Dina, who seemed to be absorbing it, but Alex's touch seemed to slow the transfer.... But she couldn't stop it. The connection was whole, unbreakable, and while Aescila might be going more slowly, she was still going. "She could have fought, were it not for you. Funny how this worked out, huh? You came here to try and help her.... But it was you that damned her in the first place!" Dina said from across the room in a voice filled with sadistic mirth. Aescila didn't seem to be able to speak, but her cracking lips mouthed Alex's name, and her body shivered tightly, her lover no doubt trying to resist what Dina was doing to her as well.
Termite: Watching Aes simply dissolving like that only to be absorbed into Dina set something off in Alex. Her eyes hardened, and though some spark urged Aes to hold on she suddenly turned and started sprinting forward. "New tactic!" Her shield rose back, her arm cocking in an instant before she was lined straight with Dina's center. The next moment that shield shot forward, for all intents and purposes aiming to go through the angel as well as the wall, the very same strike Alex used to leave the dark slime Azhur as nothing more than a helpless puddle unable to even hold itself together. If the connection wouldn't break then she needed to stop the source.
(Charge + Shield Slam combo)
Tass: (hit, damage = 56, Resistance = Alex wins) Dina just smiled brightly as Alex charged her, turning aside the angel's coffee table and slamming her shield into the woman's chest with all her might. Dina was knocked back with an audible thump and an expulsion of air, but she simply flung back into her chair and rocked back, setting up a steady motion. "Why thank you! I could use a rest~" the angel said sardonically, and then rested her hand on her palm and eyed Alex with some amusement. "Really now... You're in my home! Do you think that I wouldn't be prepared? Honestly!" She rolled her eyes just as the floorboards suddenly shot up, forming into hands that reached up to grab Alex's ankles... Or they would have, if some sixth sense hadn't alerted her to their presence, allowing her to jump out of the way just in time. Rocking in her chair, Dina watched Alex with amusement as she said; "Every part of this house is a part of me. What are you doing to do? Break all of my things?"
Termite: "Good idea." And Alex set out to do just that, her mouth puffing open with a breath before a giant ball of flame was launched at the floor. It hit and expanded, the flames aimed at angel and cottage together, all while making sure Aes was left at the very ring of the detonation.
(Dragon's Breath, X=10)
(And 10 ft explosion)
Tass: (Autohit, damage = 4 + 3 = 7 * 10 = 70 * 2 = 140 damage) Alex's explosion of flame set most of the shack alight, causing Dina to scream in agony as burns appeared all over her body. She rose from her chair even as it was reduced to slag, and the cottage around them warped and twisted, becoming as alien and horrible as the deepest depths of the forest through which they'd traveled. >>
Tass: Dina's eyes blazed with shadows, and she reached out a hand toward Alex in a claw even as her flesh burned away, leaving a hideously twisted creature in her place. The same instinct that had warned about the floor-hands, which were even then being burned to dust by her dragonfire, flared up, and she jumped aside just as shadows suddenly coalesced around the spot where she'd been standing... And then exploded outward from a point about where her heart would have been if she were still standing there. "I will make you watch as I rip the unholy spawn from your belly!" the mad angel promised in an inhuman hiss. Though the flames were consuming the house, Dina was hardly finished, and Aes didn't have much time left, the wings on the wicked woman's back growing more and more distinct.
Termite: ((How much EP does Alex have left?))
Tass: (53)
(Dragon's Pride only costs 2 upkeep per turn at X = 5.)
Termite: ((Can Alex pick up Aes and attack in the same action?))
Tass: (she'd have to attack first, and she'd take a penalty to Dodge.)
(Shrike says good luck!)
Termite: ((Thanks to Shrike!))
Termite: "... You shouldn't have said that." Alex took in another breath, but this time the fire she blew was hotter. It twisted the air, even in this spiritual plane, and as it left her mouth it was a sustained blast that went slightly beyond the limits she knew she held. But Dina threatened her child, and Alex wasn't going to hold back.
(Step back a bit, Dragon's Breath at X=20 exceeding ceiling by 6 [Cost = 6hp and 26 ep] as a cone because screw the bitch)
Tass: (Hit, damage = 3 + 4 (again) = 7 * 20 = 140 * 2 - 280 damage! I think that might be a new record in damage per attack.) Dina shrieked in rage at Alex, preparing to enact some dark magic at her. Then the wave of white-hit dragonfire that washed over her silenced both her cry and her magics forever, Alex's fire eradicating the angel's spirit completely. The cottage dissolved into ashes around them, raining down upon her armored form like black and grey snow. A soft thump from behind her was followed by a soft groan, but a glance behind her revealed that Aescila was whole again, wings and all.
Termite: ((Alpha Strikes are go!))
Tass: (fuckyear)
Termite: "Aes!" Once Dina was completely and utterly obliterated Alex immediately turned and rushed toward the small thump she heard. Finding her love whole once more had her heart relaxing only a fraction of a bit, and she quickly picked up the winged demon and held her close, the armor simply vanishing to hold the woman even closer. "Focus..."
Tass: Aescila hung limp in her grasp for a moment, as still as death, but then.... "...On what? You're still dressed!" Aescila held a stony face for a moment before bursting into a fit of giggles and throwing her arms around Alex, "You were magnificent!"
Termite: A bit of a blush hit Alex, but once Aes latched onto her the dragon simply tightened her grip and nearly squeezed the breath out of the demon. "Thank the gods you're okay..." It was a testament to her concern that she didn't even show a hint of pride at being called magnificent.
Tass: "The gods nothing, thank you!" Aescila wheezed, still giggling happily. Taking no heed for how filth both of them were, Aescila quickly slammed her lips against Alex's, kissing her hard and deep and with resounding joy. The kiss was broken after a few moments, but a blush had been added to the grin plastered all over her face. "You did all that... And you could have died... But you stayed!" Aescila said in awe, "I owe you the best sex of your life! You just name the time and place!"
Termite: "Of course I stayed! Dammit, woman, what did I tell you before we got here?!" Alex broke the hug to give Aes a punch, but it was probably the most gentle thing she'd ever done. Of course the offer of the best sex she'd ever known brought her blush back in force. "I'll, uh, keep that in mind..." At that Alex finally started paying attention to her surroundings, and as Dina's little haven burned she started looking like her more normal serious self. "How are you feeling, anyway?"
Tass: Aescila just continued to laugh, but after breaking away Alex would note the silvery tears running down her cheeks. A wry grin spread across her face at Alex's reaction to her offered reward, but she managed a serious look after Alex turned so herself. "Better... Much better... Than I was when I was in Dina's grasp, at least. It was like... Like she had grabbed hold of something inside of me, and was just holding me by it while she tore me apart. Nothing's ever.... Hurt that bad." Coming from a demon who'd resided in Hell, that was likely a significant statement. "But.... I can still feel the urges. They aren't as strong, but they're still there."
Termite: Hearing that Aes's Insight was still intact put a slight drop in the mood, but that was helped by the fact that they weren't as strong as they had been. "That's a start, at least." A rather contemplative look crossed her face as she turned once again to her surroundings. "Her soul is gone... What about her memories?"
Tass: "Still here... In full." Aescila said, and after a moment a disgusted look crossed her face. "She was.... She planned that from the beginning! Right up until that point.... I guess that was kind of a turning point. There's only a vague figure in some of the visions, not you. I guess she couldn't be sure of anything after this, but she just assumed that she'd be able to beat me...." Aescila looked melancholy for a moment, "She was right.... All this power, and I couldn't even do anything...." Suddenly, there came a soft rustling, and there was a man simply standing next to the two of them, his face familiar, and his voice more so. "Ladies, if I might offer you a return to our reality?" Michael the Archangel said, holding out a hand to each of them.
Termite: "Just goes to show that-" The sudden appearance of the Archangel completely trumped anything Alex was going to say. She simply sat there, mouth open in mid-sentence, the mere presence of such a being impossible and undeniable. "O... Of course..." That hand was accepted.
Tass: Aescila, just ad dumbfounded as Alex, took Michael's other hand, and then they were opening their eyes back in the real world, still in the same position in which they'd started. Michael stood over them, a hand pressed to each of their foreheads and a look of concentration on his face, while in the back of the room stood a tired looking Kimi and a fairly frantic looking Abariel.
Tass: Michael removed his hands and opened his eyes, smiling. "It is good that you were able to triumph. Are you feeling well, Alexandra?"
Termite: Reawakening within the world, Alex was greeted by a number of different sights, the first being Michael present in the flesh. She was still as flabbergasted as she was within the dream realm, but past him she found Kimi still looking as tired as before while Abariel looked nearly ready to jump out of her skin. Abariel's presence was what truly caught her, though, and as Alex worked her way up to a seat she suddenly looked somewhat guilty. "I'm a little tired, but... I'm sorry, Abariel..."
Tass: Abariel appeared both confused and slightly frightened, but before she could even open her mouth to speak Michael said aloud; "You will be alright... Both of you. For now... I believe that I owe you both an explanation, and my assistance. That said, there is only as much of a rush as you wish there to be, and I can just as easily leave you to your rest. None can say that you both haven't earned it." Then, into her mind and, judging by the look that suddenly came over her face, Aescila's as well, the archangel's voice said; "She doesn't know what went on in the world between your minds, and I know of it only by way of foresight, which as you have seen can be flawed. I will not pry the information from either of you, as I know at least something of what Dina became after her fall, and so you are free to explain what you will, as you will." Aescila, still clutching tightly to Alex, quickly said; "I think I'd like an explanation.... Tonight."
She then looked to Alex, waiting for her opinion on the matter. (If you've got to go to bed, this can wait until later. It's mostly exposition.)
Termite: ((Yup, time for sleepz, but I'm leaving this open))
Tass: (okie dokie, I should be around. Come back to it when you can.)