|
|
Post by Cinderella on Aug 19, 2021 17:16:04 GMT -8
The other challenges provided fanfare and excitement, but the Freehold was under no illusion of the true main event. The Sun's Tongue glittered under the wave patterned light as she announced the tiers of the competition, sweeping gestures igniting the punishing rays and raining rose petals. Ash smoke twisted and spiraled around the train of her dress the the hype was drummed, with the promise that at least a new Duelist or two would emerge from the novices. Combatants score their flesh across the Thorned door to the arena, leaving their magical signature as the Hedge gorges itself on their offering to power the field. |
|
Riley Sorsa
.
Presence (3) Captivating | SL(1) Stylish Mantle (2)Spring | Status(1) Entertainment
Posts: 913
|
Post by Riley Sorsa on Aug 26, 2021 9:48:02 GMT -8
Dancers Privilege, the massive hound of a Hob tracked behind the Darkling and Elemental as they made their way into the Dueling pits.
There was a silence lingering over Riley as they navigated towards Cinder. The Moth was lost in thought, sparing only a few glances to Dani. Finally, arriving to Cinder, Riley explained the situation, their tone serious, to the point, but the Moth had a hard time turning off the charm.
Once the laws of the duel were laid down, and Cinder allowed the two to enter the arena. Riley looked to Dani.
"Ready?"
Stepping out into the pit, where the hedge and Wyrd thrived off their mantles. The Moth watches as their gleaming motes of light and fractal danced over the pit, causing the dust to seem to shimmer and catch the light just right. Subtle white blossoms began to collect around the edge of the circle as Riley approached.
Give them a show.
Taking a deep breath, Riley glanced up to the onlookers in the colosseum before turning their black eyes on to Firebringer. The twilight dancer knees slowly bent, preparing.
Dont make it easy for her
|
|
|
|
Post by Krakenbox on Sept 1, 2021 15:03:21 GMT -8
Cinderella gestured to the Eastern door, "I present to you, the Onyx Queen's Champion of Los Angeles, Lancelot of Artemis' Bane!"
As the gate lifted, the Hedge responded in kind, creating a thin tapestry of elegant frost to crack and shatter as the Duelist passed through with the herald of a glittering wind. With willowy Wizened's armour was black in stark contrast to his silver features, with an ornate lower face shield covering his mouth. A rapier was at his hip, along with a gauntlets that appeared to be holsters. Hedge Duelists often commissioned firearms that stunned rather than maimed their opponents, functioning on the same logic as the imaginative plane of the Thorns.
"His opponent and motleymate, our very own Joyeux of the Emerald Court and bannerman of the Golden Standard, Buck Chasseur of Artemis' Bane!"
The Spring royal's Mantle threatened to overtake the emotions of the Hedge, his own lack of experience showing as the entrance bloomed thick with twisting roots and ethereal butterflies that he flung himself through, landing with a skitter and laughing at himself with a wide grin as he pried a vine from his metallic antler. Stone split under his feet with new growth and light pulsing with the silent bass of the stadium's heartbeat. He wore a doublet and vest of woven dragonscale and captured starlight, with an ornate rifle strapped to a muscular back.
"Our Duelists will fight until one is unable to continue, for the glory of Summer!"
It was hard to tell Lancelot's expression behind the face shield, but his eyes gleamed in a way that was uncharacteristic as him and the joyful satyr sealed the Pact; shaking with their hands bloodied from ripping them across the arena's entrance. They began in the vein of a gunslinger duel, about-facing and advancing several steps as the Sun's Tongue counted down, her voice carried by the magic of the arena.
Both were lightning on the draw, Buck's Mask erupting in visible winds of fate ready to bend the ephemeral shot away from him, but something odd happened.
Lancelot brought his hand to his face, prying a visible white mask from his face as the arena became faded with age and time. It was rare to see a time Contract in action if one were not the caster, as the audience watched the bullet freeze and rewind, Lancelot's mask moving with a ghostly image of himself following the steps assigned to fate, and himself moving outside of it on his own volition.
He bowed to the crowed as he flowed across the arena, changing to the perfect position as the mask sprouted into multiple possibilities, and the Wizened permitted to choose the best option to his plan.
The scene started again as they shook hands with Cinderella's countdown, and Lancelot's hand darted and grasped Buck's firearm. The satyr blinked in confusion, having a sense his companion had pulled a trick, and hauling the lighter Changeling off balance with a vicious twist of the arm that prompted a shout from the Wizened. The Beast headbutted the Wizened, sending him to the ground as he locked and fired off his weapon in one smooth motion.
The dead click was broadcasted with the hoarfrost turning the weapon pure silver, along with Buck's loud swear: Lancelot had touched his gun.
"You're standing on a trap," the Hedge Duelist flatly announced through the lack of breath in his lungs.
The Spring noble looked down just as the ornate stones blasted into angry roots that almost sent him flying, the Beast leaping first before the impact hit. The gorgeous now-silver rifle remaining put and suspended in the air.
Lancelot sings to himself, speaking to the foundations of the arena were poisoned with the Winter's lies as his hand traced frost into the cracks of the stone, expanding viciously as he fed his words. He finally stomped his foot on the ground in a declaration that with he deeds to Orion, the cold would never harm him. As Buck lands, the metallic ice had already spread in a wave, causing him to ski as he skipped his handing with impressive balance. The Sunset Prince should have bought his time, but his pride was getting the best of him as he angled on the experienced Duelist, form alighting in sun's burst of gold as he leapt in the form of an intimidating stag. Black, wet roots churned form the ice, cutting and catching him the arena started to white out and the silver rifle clicked against Buck's temple.
Lancelot took his time correcting himself, the Hedge moving to lift him in assistance as he strode to free his friend, bowing to the Summer Queen as the crowd roared his victory.
|
|
Firebringer
.
Elemental Ifrit, Presence 3 (Intimidating)
Posts: 634
|
Post by Firebringer on Sept 6, 2021 17:52:29 GMT -8
Dani stands, feeling weird as Riley explains to Cinder their situation. It's weird, watching Riley be so charming even as they try to stay calm. It's also something she loves about Riley, their innate charm. It's so easy to just to watch them talk their way in and out of situations.
She takes in a deep breath and lets it out slowly, considering what she is going to do. She's never been much for Hedgespinning. Everyone can do it, of course, but she's never been able to influence it for battle. Not well enough to matter, anyway. Using her fists has just always been the easy thing.
Speed and hits, right? Keep myself light on my toes and be prepared. She realizes she has no idea exactly what Riley can do. For all she knows, Riley could be more talented than she is at Hedgespinning.
Riley speaks to her and it takes her a moment to respond, "Oh. Yeah. Ready." Am I?
I can do this. I want the truth and if this is what it takes, I'll do it.
She walks into the ring, waiting, keeping herself ready to go, ready to fight, but she still feels uneasy. Then again, when doesn't she feel uneasy these days.
Put it away. You can do this.
|
|
|
|
Post by Krakenbox on Sept 7, 2021 9:53:35 GMT -8
Cinderella was not performing her most stellar poker face as a diplomat as the couple approached her, and Riley explained they were using Summer's Rite to what sounded like supplementing their relationship.
"You can't honour-bound yourself to tell the truth to the victor if you're an Oathbreaker, Riley," she said, measuring her tone with the blank look she received, and Firebringer confirming that she trusted Riley despite it all. She began to shake her head, before the burning and bruised rose petals swept across the floor. The pit fell quiet as The Guardian At The Gate cleared her throat, watching from the doorway.
"We also honour Spring's contributions to the Colosseum, and Sorsa's part in its construction, Sun's Tongue," the Iron Queen sighed, crown sharp as light split in the aura of a vengeful saint filled, blooming as she entered the room. Compound eyes glittered as she ran her attention over the Elemental, whom she dwarfed with the stretched limbs of her mien. "I would not call you a demon," she muttered, "I always wondered why the Lost adopted a term from the Quran."
Cinder shifted as she waited. Uriel's mild smile faltered as the wheels turned and she realized the Bright One was waiting on further instruction.
"The Season's will does not always align with our mortal morals. You know that. Firebringer, understand that you're entering your Court's ritual and presenting yourself to the Freehold to fight a symbol of betrayal. The Hedge and Summer will respond in kind."
Cinder bit her lip, looking exceedingly uncomfortable.
"You will not need to make false promises to the Freehold, Cinderella. Their fates are not your responsibility. But Firebringer's is mine." The hall thundered with the Wyrd and fealty, as the Queen squeezed the Ifrit's shoulder before Firebringer scored her hand across the Thorns.
Riley repeated the gesture on the other side of the pit, feeling the Hedge pull the blood and glamour with hungry roots.
Cinderella strode to the podium, gesturing to the Eastern door, "I present to you, the bane to Leviathan and the Desert's Shepherd, Firebringer of the Vermillion Court!"
As the gate lifted, the screams and licking flames of the underworld announced the Elemental's pinched nerves and defeated insecurity, the ground blistering and leaking cold, blackened magma in her wake. Heads swung to see who the hell wanted to fight her.
"Her opponent, the Twilight Dancer and Illuminator of Winter's Shadows, Riley Sorsa of Afterparty!"
The mood changed in a ripple of anticipation, whether it was confusion, scandal, or the pressure cooker of a collective Freehold's vengeance. The stadium shimmered with heat and the smell of iron, as swirling dust and dappled light threw kaleidoscopes across the Darkling's advancing form like fans folding to reveal the performer. The Sun's Tongue paused, mulling the terms, "Our Duelists will fight until one is removed from the ring-" as she spoke, the arena ignited in a ring that raised the opposing pair higher, prompting a gasp from the audience. "For the Oathbound prize of Firebringer offering three truths to her lover, and Sorsa offering faith."
Freeholders exchanged looks, some grinning, others folding arms and clenching jaws.
As the blackened magma spread with noxious smoke, the motes peeled and dulled to twisting ash.
|
|
|
|
Post by mavspade on Sept 16, 2021 17:39:25 GMT -8
The heat of the magma spread across the field, heat distortion rippled through the air as the two duelists stood across the ring from each other. A palpable tension boiling between them.
The stillness lingered, pulling tighter till it finally snapped.
Riley stepped forward planting their heel forward and with a flourish raised their hands upwards. Their silvered gauntlet amber in the light of the magma. Their voice called out across the rumbling of the molten earth, bringing it to heel. The summons was an unknown song, but the words were lost, Riley’s voice both authoritative and sensual at once. With a flick of their wrist, the light from the lava began to dim and drain its way towards the Bright One. A gaizer of steam flashes and the Bright One’s illumination flares up around them. Draped in glory, and awe, their light mantled them like armor, and their voice and movements burned with danger and breathtaking beauty.
The Hedge twists and growls, as strange luminescent flowers and vines pull their way up from the magma troths, coiling across the field. The sound of distant music booms. The air tasted of Riley’s wrath and pain.
Don’t make this easy on her.
The Moth’s black eyes flash with the fire of the arena as they moved their arms in a circular fashion, shaping the magma towards them. They had to act quickly before Firebringer could get in close.
Fire didn’t want to be here. Lucas was right on multiple fronts that this is not living her best frog life, but Riley was not a scorpion. The fear of the sting wasn’t there, but this kind of fight to resolve some of their issues? It certainly was Summer, but not her kind of Summer. It wasn’t just fighting in general though; the idea of fighting Riley somehow felt so much harder. The dying embers had been kicked, and they still held heat.
The Summer courtier could not pull her eyes away from Riley’s ethereal movement with their hands, the Hedge shaping around them in the periphery. It’s beautiful, awe-inspiring - distracting. Senses flooded with a kaleidoscopic image, Firebringer takes the risk of going for the center mass. The way she moves is so quick, it’s hard to see her move in the first place. Riley wasn’t a combatant, and as predicted, they don’t take the opening as the fist connects. No tricks, just the raw expression of her pain. Perhaps her moves aren’t the most appropriate for a hedge spinning match, but it’s what she has. She knows she isn’t hedge spinning inclined, particularly not for dueling. Still, the punch comes in like lightning and she meets her target.
Riley let out a hiss as Firebringer came down upon them, stumbling back raising up their arms, the metal of the hedge spun jacket alight from the fury of Dani. The darkling wove and danced, trying to move in and around Dani’s attack, but even on their agile feet, they were not fast enough to avoid the coming strikes.
Magma spits and hisses as pods of flowers erupt around the two as the chaos of the fight grows. Riley was beginning to be overwhelmed and they knew it. Trying to shape the hedge with their dance-like movements, turning the incoming attacks into inspiration to weave and spin the world around them.
A misstep and a strike from Dani, send Riley sliding back. Unable to finish the spinning.They grunt reaching out and plucking a silken pod from one of the growing, ash burnt plants and palming it in their hand.
Would the fire of the Hedge work? Firebringer wasn’t sure, but she dove her hand into the magma in a sweep, rock clinging and crawling up her ashen skin as it melded to her frame in a held, manic scream. The mien split apart with lava flow, melting and peeling to the black, heated bone as the living napalm clapped her hands together, spreading the gauntlet in a thunderclap.
The Twilight Dancer was frozen to the spot, their eyes wide, a quiver in their hand as they tried to process the display of power from the Elemental.
Move. Move Move!
They screamed inside their mind, trying to pull themself from the shock as Dani barreled towards them. don’t make this easy for her. Make her work for it, make her fight. The moth growled, this was as much for Dani as it was for themself.
Riley broke from the shock and fear of the incoming Ifrit. Slamming their foot in defiances once more against the arena floor, Riley throws back their head with a single note vibrant note. Their hand crushes around the silken pod and letting the shimmering ash drop down their throat.
There is a boil and swirling from the dripping blue illuminance from the Darkling. A heaving of motion from within their light begins to bleed and crawl forth. A multitude of legs, wings, and forms tore free from an impossible membrane. Some prying out from Riley’s mouth, eyes, and fingernails, others drip down from their light and slowly solidifying. In moments these beautiful horrors teamed around Riley and the arena, swarming their way towards Dani.
Firebringer’s charge faltered for a moment as the brilliant and horrific display warped the Bright one from a thing of beauty, to anguished squirming horror. The Elemental gripped her hands into a tight fist, the fiery gauntlets let out an angry hiss of defiance. The hesitation was momentary as she found her courage once again. Bending her knees, the Ifrit lunged through the air.
There is a flash of fire and ash as her gauntlet collides with the swarm, an explosion of light and sizzling chitin, rang out like a bell. Breaking past the wall, Firebringer descended onto Riley, who let out a gasp of shock. Riley swings her arms to fight back, bringing a swarm of insects and blinding light with it. Dani ducked low weaving to the side.
The hedge erupted a gush of flame breathed forth from the Magma. Riley let out a cry of surprise, while Dani seized the moment closing the distance. The insects scattered at the Ifirit’s decisive move, reaching out with an open hand and grasping the neck of Riley’s jacket.
The two froze briefly for a moment. Riley off-balance, Dani seeming to tower in her presence. The moth’s hands clutched around the elemental’s forearm. The two’s eyes met for a moment, a singular moment of tension, before Dani gave a sudden shove toppling Riley over the Arena’s boundary, and to the ground. The audience erupts into a roar at Firebringers victory.
Fire stands there, not quite reacting to the crowd, just gazing at Riley with light, sizzling tears spilling over her lids. Truth. This means truth. What’s going on? What aren’t they telling her? Finally, she’ll get to know what it is. And if they want truth from her, they’ll get it anyway. She extends a hand to Riley then, a sweet smile, perhaps even pride, on her face. Maybe they will be stronger from this.
|
|
|
|
Post by Uriel on Sept 16, 2021 22:49:46 GMT -8
The energy of the Freehold is celebratory as the long suffering Elemental overcomes another challenge, adding to the roster of folk legend. It was a strange experience to be a public figure in her deeds, but feeling so isolated at the same time. She still had her sister, and she had the Twilight Dancer—like catching a meteorite. As Firebringer extended her hand to Riley in the surge of victory and hope in the adhrenaline, the flames flared, sputtering and slowly dying out. The embers of the ring rippled through the Hedge, the colour draining from the arena was Wrath was denied to the High Season. The crowd murmured, the cheers dying on their lips as they looked to one another in concern. Unsure. F e a r. Cinderella was pale, looking pained as she watched Danica embrace a victory in humanity. Not out of disgust—she wanted to share in her energy, but the message of an internalized journey was lost in the medium of a public ritual. The ancient rites and symbols were denied in favour of lifting up an Oathbreaker. The protection of the Wyrd was denied in the pursuit of blind faith. Was it love or desperation? The Keeper was on and in their minds. Fire reignited with the metallic clang of iron, casting the pair in shadow. The Guardian At The Gate dragged her blade across the floor of the arena, Crown radiating as the petals of gladiatorial favours seared and smoked, eyes taking in the spirit of the Freehold as they rimmed with the solar flare of Ares and the red intoxication of Mahakali. Multiple arms stuttered from her form in a winged halo of ephemeral weaponry, chitin the black void of the Norn's timeless space as the Mask shattered. Her steps scraped and parted the toxic lead, not slowing as the reignited magma was forced to make way, advancing faster on her own Oath of Summer. The spiritual blade came down and across Firebringer's neck in a gesture of decapitation.
The crackling husk of the Elemental's Mantle collapsed to ash on the wind.
"I cast thee out."
|
|
|
|
Post by Krakenbox on Sept 16, 2021 23:00:44 GMT -8
|
|
