RedMageCole

First Class Level 16 Promoted Level 3

Automated Movement Lysander attacks Thief F Lizaveta to W15, Manifesto Monk D Baldur to X14 and heal Justine Ferdy to G14 Boss to G15 Lucy to F14 Lysander sends a blast of wind hurtling at Thief F— striking them down for good. Lizaveta channels forth dark magic from her book— a strange sort of spell that called forth dark tendrils from the ground and stabbed the monk. They didn't have a chance to defend themself. Justine recovers +21 HP! Justine is at full HP! Baldur lives to serve! Baldur recovers +10 HP! Baldur is at full HP! Enemy Phase Turns to Ruslan's reinforcements: 1 Myrmidon E to V16 Nomad B to Y12, canto to Y8 Myrmidon C to H14 Monk C to H13 Thief G to G12 Myrmidon D to G11 Just as Shin had begun to stir awake, the Myrmidon saw no reason to delay when he was faced with the odds— he rushed in, sword in hand, to take a swipe at Shin. Shin awoke just in time for the sword to stick him in the gut, subsequently putting him out of commission. In the meantime, the solemn Nomad lamented the loss of his friend and rushed in to fire at Justine in retaliation. However, she's too quick for him and leans out of the way of the arrow. The group on the left runs forward to meet Ferdiad head on— once the myrmidon and the thief realized they would not pierce Ferdiad's armor, they saw no reason to strike. However, the Monk found an opportunity— striking right through his shoulder armor, but taking retaliation in return. TURN 5 Player Phase Ferdiad recovers 8 HP! EXP: (19/100) Enemies Killed: 21/60 Stats

Automated Movement Kane to X17 and longbow thief F Arthur Wind Tactician C and Press the Assault Kane Kane to X15 and longbow Thief E Godiva's healing touch gives Ferdiad the last little kick he needs! Ferdiad heals +22 HP! Ferdiad is at full HP! Once Lenore opens the chest, she gets a hefty sum of gold falling into her pockets. Lenore obtained 1000 Gold! Kane lets out a quiet curse as the thief dodges the second half of his flurry of arrows. Arthur rolled his eyes somewhat at Kane's failed shot, and sent a blast of wind through the Tactician who quietly accepted their fate. Arthur gave a side-eye to Kane, who felt 'encouraged' enough to move again. Kane moves again! This time, in order to not annoy Arthur, Kane fired two holes straight through the Thief. No sign of flashiness, not even Kane's usual attempts at flair— just two arrows that put an end to the Thief's life. Lysander needs a new action! EXP: (103/100) *LEVEL UP!* Enemies Killed: 19/60 Stats

Mim's arrow rips into the Thief from behind and tears a clean hole through their heart; ending their life without even a word from them. Mim recovers 34 HP! Mim is at full HP! "...It appears my time is up. But I won't die so easily..." The Tactician readies themselves for Justine's onslaught— they get stabbed in the shoulder, but retaliate as Justine winds back with a burst of flame that sends Justine reeling back. EXP: (89/100) Enemies Killed: 17/60 Stats

Automated Movement Shin to W16 Lizaveta to W17 Lysander hold Lucy to F19 and Dance Mina and Mim Mim to G17 and Steel Greatbow Tactician D Mina use Elthunder on Soldier B Lenore aims a well-placed knife into the Soldier's chipped armor, putting that extra damage in that causes the Soldier to fall. Mina and Mim move again! A volley of arrows flies through the Tactician and leaves him heavily wounded, but before Mim can land the final blow, he manages to sneak by a single fireball that singes her torso quite badly. (7 - Payday!) Mim obtains a Gold Bar! Mina fries the Soldier with a bolt of lightning— despite his rather healthy appearance, he was quickly taken out without a chance to yell. Enemy Phase Turns to Ruslan's reinforcements: 2 Thief C to E18 Myrmidon E to W12 Thief F to W15 Thief E to W13 Monk D to V14 Tactician to X14 Nomad B to Y12, canto to U11 The Thief looks around, seeing all of his fallen companions with a rage in his eyes... "D-Dammit- Dammit!!! You'll pay for this, you'll die with me!!" His wild, enraged attack is easily telegraphed, and all he can do is stand and furiously look at Mim. Meanwhile, on the other side... The Myrmidon takes a deep breath, focusing... Myrmidon E activates Leaf on the Wind! The Thief rushes in first with a sleeping poison in hand. He glares down Shin, and lands the knife in his body. It doesn't hurt much outside of a mild stinging, but then Shin finds himself nodding off... leading Scoopo to wonder what is going on. "Hm... This might be our time to strike. You— follow my lead." "Hell yeah, man! I'm fired up, I'm ready to fight!" The Tactician and Nomad rejoin the fight. The Tactician eyes Arthur down, sending blasts of Fire magic after him— while the Tactician gets singed with light magic for their troubles, Arthur looks very pissed about the fact that he was hit twice. "I'm comiiing!" The Nomad yells as he comes in; firing a barrage of arrows at Arthur and causing him get even more annoyed despite the relative lack of harm that he faced. TURN 4 Player Phase Ferdiad recovers 8 HP! EXP: (80/100) Enemies Killed: 16/60 Stats

Fey throws an axe into the shoulder of the opposing Soldier— once more, causing them to throw off their javelin's aim. However, the Soldier attempts to still stand strong despite the injury. EXP: (59/100) Enemies Killed: 13/60 Stats

Boss lands a vicious blow despite the Thief's general speediness— the attack leaves him heavily injured and unable to properly throw his weapon. Justine gets shoved! "Right," Kane picks the chest open— opening the chest and swiping the contents. "Gold— that'll help our supplies." Kane obtained 1000 Gold! The stalwart knight rises again with the help of Godiva's healing. However, he still continues to stand at death's door. Ferdiad recovers 11 HP! Ferdiad is back up! EXP: (57/100) Enemies Killed: 13/60 Stats

The Soldier doesn't get a chance to respond— the first lightning attack messes with his body, causing him to stumble and throw his javelin wildly and then get blasted into oblivion. However, the stray javelin from above rakes Mina through the shoulder, causing a nasty injury. EXP: (51/100) Enemies Killed: 13/60 Stats

The Sentinel flashes Mim a look of disgust as she loads an arrow. "Coward! You dare to not engage me one on one!? I spit at your lack of fighting spirit!" (78; no Payday) The Sentinel falls to the ground. "How... pathetic..." Are his last words. The rest of his squad looks relieved that he's shutting up now. EXP: (46/100) Enemies Killed: 12/60 Stats

"Our best course of action is to keep to the sides for now and coordinate with the other side— if things start to look bad, we can move back to the center as quickly as possible and support each other from there."

"Ruslan always boasted about how his military might is the best in Purgus," Arthur spat as he watched the Tactician and Nomad retreat. "Funny, I'm not seeing much of it now." "I don't doubt he has a strong military. But that's just it— they're military. When fighting wars, they're strong... but against ambush tactics, they fumble and have no idea of what to do."

Automated Movement Liza to Z19 and Thunder Wyvern Rider C Shin to Y20 and Silver Longbow Wyvern Rider B Kane to AB18 and Glue Pack Nomad A Arthur to Z18 and Wind Wyvern Knight A Justine Y18 Perform Shin & Liza Liza to W18 and Thunder Wyvern Knight A Baldur to W20 and Rescue Lysander to W19 Shin to Y19 and Silver Longbow Wyvern Rider A (with Liza support) Lysander to Y16 and Wind Tactician C Ferdiad to G18 and Equip Steel Javalin Boss to F19 and equip Iron Javalin Godiva to J21 and heal Mim Canto to H21 Mim to G19 Lucy to I20 Fey to G21 Mina to F20 and use Jolt for Arcane Barrier Really appreciate it Reborn, thanks a lot for lying to me and insisting that the post was saved when it was in fact not Basically everything above got killed, Mim recovered full HP Enemy Phase Turns to Ruslan's reinforcements: 3 Soldier B to F17 Soldier C to E18 Sentinel A to F18 Tactician D to E17 Soldier A to F16 Thief C to E16 Tactician C to X9 Nomad B to Y15, canto to Y8 The Sentinel yells. "Forward, comrades! Do not give them an inch, for we are proud soldiers of Ria! Fight with all you can! Fight! Fight!" The two Soldiers groan as they move forward, hurling javelins at Boss. The Sentinel lets out a laugh as he draws his glaive and approaches Ferdiad under the cover of his allies. "Look at all of that armor! I will be able to shatter it with ease using my spear! Stand and fight, blackguard!" Ferdiad steels himself and even manages to get a hit in, but it's not enough— the Sentinel moves quickly, shredding apart Ferdiad's armor and landing a decisive blow right into the front of his chestplate. "Bwahaha! Is this the might of the man you sent before me!? I will vanquish all of you, foul daemons— face me!" The Sentinel readies his glaive, hungry for more battle— if he was aware of how much he left himself open, his allies decided to not let him know about it. On the other side, the Tactician eyes her opponents, looking back and then at the Nomad. "We are not going to be stupid— we are going to make a proper retreat and regroup." As the Tactician begins to retreat, the Nomad smirks as he draws an arrow. "Naw, man! I'm fired up! I'm gonna actually shoot this chick from a mile away, just watch me!" "You are completely idiotic. Even if it did hit, which it didn't the last time, they will easily be able to heal her. But fine, do as you will and pray that King Ruslan doesn't punish you for shooting his floor." The Nomad, true to his word, fired a shot at Justine. The Tactician, true to her word, knew that the Nomad's arrow would thunk into the ground next to her. TURN 3 Player Phase Ruslan snarled— not feeling particularly less or more angry than before due to the successful performance of the left and the failure of the right. EXP: (41/100) Enemies Killed: 11/60 Stats

First Class Level 15 Promoted Level 2

Automated Movement Shin to T22, Silver Longbow Necromancer D, canto to X20 Baldur to T20, Rescue Arthur to U20 Arthur to X18, equip Sacred Fire Justine to T21, Dance for Liza and Baldur Baldur to W19, Rescue Justine to X19 Kane to W21, Lust Thief B Lizaveta to V20 Lysander strikes out at the Thief with a gust of wind. Just as the thief thinks they're in the clear, Lysander sends them rocketing to the ground with a sudden second blast of wind. Shin rides in and rains down a volley of arrows down on the Necromancer's head— taking them out before they could do a thing to the group. Arthur shows complete confusion, then slight annoyance when he is set down near Baldur without even moving. Baldur rescues Arthur! Justine moves in... Baldur and Arthur move again! ...and Arthur looks like he feels a lot better once Justine is also nearby. Baldur rescues Justine! Continuing to use the cursed knife, Kane strikes the dizzied Thief and swiftly ends them. Enemy Phase Turns to Ruslan's reinforcements: 4 Wyvern Rider A to Y16 Wyvern Rider B to Y17 Wyvern Rider C to Y18 Wyvern Knight A to X17 Nomad B to AB20, canto to AB15 Nomad A to AB20, canto to AB17 A storm of wyverns comes down on Arthur. He successfully manages to dodge all of their coordinated attacks due to being able to see them from afar. Both Nomads opt for a different approach— they both ride up and open fire at the less-likely bait Justine, completely out of her reach... yet Justine manages to be too agile for them. "IDIOTS!" Ruslan's voice boomed across the area, enraged at the sorry sight that was the right side of the map. The Rian soldiers there shuddered immediately, covering their ears. "Years of military training, the best that Purgus has to offer! And NONE of you can hit a few rats!? I will be thankful when they spill your blood on the floor, you worthless CRETINS!" Ruslan's Anger increases! TURN 2 Player Phase EXP: (0/100) *LEVEL UP!* Enemies Killed: 6/60 Stats

A choke of shame, and a gust of wind erupted from Lizaveta. Both were too much for their targets to bear, completely unavoidable in what destruction they cause. EXP: (74/100) Enemies Killed: 3/60 Stats

Fey's set of bolas quickly ties around the swordsman's legs, causing him to fall and crack his skull— he doesn't look like he's going to be getting up anytime soon. EXP: (72/100) Enemies Killed: 3/60 Stats

Boss plunges her halberd into the Myrmidon, who is thoroughly unable to pierce Boss's defenses— however, the Myrmidon manages to keep themselves in tact. EXP: (69/100) Enemies Killed: 2/60 Stats

Without giving him a chance to retaliate, Ferdiad swiftly drives his lance through the Myrmidon's gut and ends his life. EXP: (67/100) Enemies Killed: 2/60 Stats

And blow the Myrmidon to bits, Mina... did not quite do, as the Myrmidon was left standing. However, it would clearly not take much more for the Myrmidon to be successfully blown to bits. EXP: (63/100) Enemies Killed: 1/60 Stats

Mim lets off a volley of arrows to start off the skirmish. However, while she shows great confidence in her newfound form, she does take a sudden unexpected hit that leaves her with a lack of energy after burying her second shot. (11, Payday! Mim obtains a Gold Bar!) EXP: (61/100) Enemies Killed: 1/60 Stats

Eventually, Kane took a deep breath and stepped forward. "...Right. I can't let myself fall to pieces right now. We're going to the castle right now— and we are going to rescue Queen Stella. Come on..." Kane paused as he moved forward, looking at the soup. "...I suppose I can take some along the way, if that's fine with all of you." He sleepily took a bowl of the stuff, not noticing that he got a dreaded flytrap leaf in his bowl. ... The blizzard only really picked up once the group started heading up the mountain— buffeting everyone through the cramped, somewhat cheap wagon that Kane casually said 'stole it' when prompted as to where and how he got it. Kane was quiet the whole way, as was Arthur. Adelaida, Simeon, and Sid were a little bit more chatty, trying to lighten the mood or keep themselves occupied. Simeon was able to pass on masks to Godiva, Boss, and Mina— they lacked a lot of fanciness overall, but Simeon promised to fine-tune them when they were done. The group eventually found the castle in sight, and were able to park under the guise of the blizzard. Kane muttered something about optimal conditions as he ushered the group to the back of the castle— left somewhat unguarded due to the harshness of the blizzard. Getting in through the back was... a bit easier than one should expect. Getting through the castle, however, would prove to be an ordeal. As the group burst their way into the massive throne room— to Kane's evident surprise, even from his reconnaissance— was completely swarming with Rian troops. "What is this!? Invaders, in the dead of night!? Begone with you— Kill them all!" "Damn it... of course this plan was a stupid idea-" "Stop putting everything on yourself. There's no way to get to Stella in the dungeons without alerting everyone in here. All we can do is fight." Arthur moved forward, setting both of his hands ablaze with fire magic. "...Get ready, you old bastard. I'm going to kill you with my own two hands... For you, Rose." ...Arthur didn't sound too sure of himself. Objective: Defeat King Ruslan! Alternative Objective: Rout 60 Enemies! TURN 1 Player Phase EXP: (57/100) Enemies Killed: 0/60 Stats

As you all wonder who could possibly be the boss for this chapter, I grant you all support opportunities! Available Supports Lizaveta x Shin (B) Arthur x Godiva (C) Baldur x Mim (C) Ferdiad x Lucy (C) Godiva x Lizaveta (C) Mina x Shin (C) Anyone who is Promoted gets the following: 1 A, 2 B, 1 C Anyone who is still First Class gets the following: 2 B, 2 C You can not get A supports with First Class folks, sorry Mim no fast-track for Arthur. All of the GMPCs, as always, automatically accept their Support offerings.

Kane was having a bit of trouble breathing— even as Mim's words tried to have a calming effect on him. He tried to take a moment to breathe, eyes closed as he attempted to compose himself... "They were here to negotiate peace, weren't they? Damn it, I thought she was just doing that as a cover, I can't believe Stella thought she could reason with that bastard... Right. I'm ready to settle this. Once and for all." Arthur took a deep breath in tune with Kane— he said he was ready, but his body language suggested otherwise.

Chapter 6 Flames Atop Frozen Mountains The numbers of Virtuous continued to grow through unconventional means. However, these methods were undoubtedly effective, creating a new sense of unlikely camaraderie between the group. There was little time for complete enjoyment of the party as night began to fall, however, for tensions brewed even further within the castle. The flawed, yet confident plan of Virtuous's leader, was bound to change... Castle Ria. A nigh-impenetrable fortress made of stone, unimpeded by the natural defenses given to it by the blizzards that wracked the snowy mountains of Ria. As dusk began to fall, a blizzard started to kick up in the area... Inside the warmth of the castle, however, a fire lurked beneath. "King Ruslan and Queen Zaara? Negotiating? When have those two ever agreed on anything?" One of the guards to the throne room piped up with a doubtful expression. "Eh, it's probably because of Queen Stella. Hard to get angry when she's around. Haven't you seen her? Man, I wish I could work for her instead." "I suppose you're right. Maybe even King Ruslan can't-" "WOMAN!" "Nope, never mind, there he goes again. The doors slammed open— not infrequent in the castle of Ria, as even the sturdy stone doors had to be replaced frequently due to the temperaments of the King and Queen... and the Prince, when he was still dwelling within the walls. "Please, calm down...! I'm in no hurry, we can still discuss matters—" "Silence! I am tired of this child whining whenever he doesn't get his way!" Queen Zaara. Arguments between her and her husband were not uncommon, but this event marked something else entirely. "He thrusts the entire country into war, and for what!? His pride, that's what! And now he's unwilling to negotiate peace with others!? Pah! I'm sick of this nonsense— the Perusians will be here any minute, I'm sure, and I'd rather my head not roll with his!" "You both are behaving like children! Have some self-respect!" Sir Albert was now at his wits end— even his calmness and complete unfailing patience with Queen Stella wore thin when it came to the royalty that he did not serve. On cue, the door that had tried to go into a resting position was now slammed open once more— this time, off its hinges, as it frequently had gotten used to doing. "We've been dealing with Perusian reign for far too long, and here you want to talk about peace!?" King Ruslan. A man filled with nothing but rage— a quality that has left him disliked outside of Ria, and inside his own castle walls. "There is no peace to be found in Purgus! We're all suffering as a result of Perusian reign, and as far as I'm concerned, I'm doing the continent a favor! But by all means, GET OUT! I SHOULD HAVE THROWN YOU OUT AGES AGO!" "I'm certain you should have! Go be with those Ulux whores you're so fond of, I'm sure they'd love to deal with your whining much more than I would! I'm done!" The sound of another door slamming. The two gossiping guards were quick to stay quiet as Zaara left the throne room in a rage. "...I... suppose that there is nothing to be done. Come, Sir Albert, we'd best be on our way... I've been wanting to try a bed at an inn for a while now..." "Queen Stella, you have disrespected me enough with your platitudes! You are not going anywhere in my domain!" ... ... ... "Who the hell put cheese in this stew? That shit doesn't go with stew!" Simeon jabbed Sid in the ribs, prompting him to yelp out and spill a little bit of the broth on himself. "Ye haven't even eaten it— when ye live out on the sea as long as I 'ave, ye appreciate certain commodities such as cheese in a meal. Cheese goes with most everything. Now shut up and eat yer damn stew." Sid grumbled— trying to eat it but was swiftly interrupted by the sound of Adelaida. "What the fu-!? Is this a fucking flytrap leaf? Which one of you assholes put a flytrap in here!?" Arthur cringed at Adelaida, who indeed had a half of a flytrap leaf (noticeable by the 'teeth' on it) hanging off of her utensil. "Okay— Maybe I should have helped after all- whose idea was that?" ... It was all fun and games, until Kane came back in the middle of everyone eating— two hours, almost on the dot. He was significantly more disheveled than usual, face full of sweat despite the cold air that blew in. "...Not good. Not good, not good, not good..." Kane came in muttering loudly, hands on his head and ignorant of the shivers that ran up his body from the cold. "Damn it, damn it- I can't believe this- That bastard- Ruslan- he's got Stella and Albert locked up, we have to move, I don't know what's going to happen, shit-" Kane sat down on the throne, desperately trying to think. He completely walked past the stew, ignorant of how much he just killed the mood.

"...Mmn. I don't know. Too many cooks in the kitchen spoil the whatever they say." Arthur paused, then let out a sigh. "I don't work well in the kitchen with others, anyway— I just tend to start yelling when things don't go well. But... If you want to cook with them, you should. I want to see you get along with everyone."