[Episode Two] Right of Passages

Archives of Occultus Magica's beginnings, ten years prior to the current story.
Luca
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Re: [Episode Two] Right of Passages

Post by Luca »

"What th-?"
Miller held up a hand in defence as a rune-shod Koi leapt out of the water and attempted to go for his head. He did two things upon the Koi getting within wrangling distance - first, he made a swift uppercut to stop it in its tracks, and then as it came down, he grabbed it by the tail. He then eyed the caster that could've been responsible for sending the Koi into a frenzy.

Speaking of which, the koi thrashed and fought against Miller defiantly, before Miller landed a decisive punch in its head, stunning it, and maybe breaking a bone or two. However, he realised that it wasn't the only fish - and judging by Duncan and Ruarc's lightning bolts, most of them had been considerably calmed down. He simply nodded in approval before slinging the mutated Koi he had in his hands around and around - and pitching it like an Olympic Hammer throw. He could've been imitating Koji Murofushi as he let go and made one fish shaped missile travelling at a speed hefty enough to knock someone off of their feet towards the figure that wasn't tied to a pole.

He hoped the piscine missile hit its intended target as he attempted to worry about the new complication of the water turning into jelly - and the fact that Duncan, however undesirable he was - was in danger. He moved ahead and attempted to keep some of the heat off of Duncan - his fists were moving from one fish to the next, simply knocking them out of the water and about twenty feet into the park. However, the fish had gotten their share of hits on the teacher, managing to injure his arms and legs with various toothy lacerations. He didn't seem to care as he kept on fighting his way towards Duncan, with the intent to pull him out of there.
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Kokuten
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Re: [Episode Two] Right of Passages

Post by Kokuten »

Percival groaned as he felt himself stop in place nearly losing grip on his staff. The Welshman held himself in place as he looked forward to find Zulan in the same predicament, kicking her legs in frustration as she was slowly pulled under. The situation was a little grim as he pulled and pulled on his feet, but he couldn't go anywhere except down. As if the sinking sensation wasn't enough, wild fish were flopping and flying everywhere! The situation was deteriorating fast, worse as one of the fish jumped to take a bite out of Percy's shoulder.

"Augh!" yelped the young-man recoiling back, doing nothing but throwing his hands up in the air to defend himself. The fish's mouth came down on his arm, only to be stopped by a pair of sigils resonating off his robe. He almost recoiled at the blue shine of those sigils as well, but more leaped out of the water to bite at him, more sigils defending the boys clothing and skin. "Z-Zulan!"

"WOH!" roared Zulan as she suddenly kicked in the afterburners, a small ball of blue fish-scale patterned aura surrounding her as she dispelled the magic on her in the immediate area and sunk down into the water. The water folded in on top of her, but her fit kicked up on the surface and she shot down into the depths. The little ocean god sped around like a torpedo, swerving and careening into fish with her blonde head as she went. While Percy flailed helplessly, trying to shake off his own troubles, Zulan popped out of the water like a dolphin, ripping said fish off with her teeth one at a time as she went down and back up, arcing back and forth. Then, she followed suite by zooming around, slamming into fish at high speeds at the surface to keep them off the other mages as best she could.
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Kai
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Re: [Episode Two] Right of Passages

Post by Kai »

As Miyuki stood dumbfounded, Raiko moved forward, folded her umbrella, and then rapped the other girl over the head with it.

"Oww! What was that for?" Miyuki complained, suddenly broken out of her worried trance of, well, worry.
"You know exactly what you have to do. it's up to you to do it." Rai-HIme told her, somewhat sharply, Before turning to Ruarc.
"And you, quit acting helpless. You have a tool to help, you just gotta call for it."

************

Miyuki rubbed the sore spot on her head for a moment, before realizing what it was exactly that she could do- she had all the tools she needed- The Sapphire and the Topaz could help, here, as those were what were mostly being Manipulated. Visualizing the gemstones, she summoned Saph and Toph, and immediately set them upon the marauding Koi, and then began to motion to control the water, Willing it to recede and head toward the other end of the park. She found that the water that was grabbing onto her friends was localized around them, leaving them stuck, but no longer in danger of drowning.
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Straken
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Re: [Episode Two] Right of Passages

Post by Straken »

Ruarc’s face dropped into one of distinct confusion, for he could not think of what Raiko was referring to. After a few moments of thought he remembered the staff she had given him several days ago. Now that he had remembered that he now tried to think of how in the world he would get it.
“Just gotta call it, eh?” the Druid mumbled to himself before getting an idea. “Alright then, let’s try this. Cara Cré.” The Irishman held out his hand for several moments expecting it to materialize or something, but nothing happened. He scowled for a brief moment before he heard the sound of something flying through the air. He turned in time to see the wooden staff flying towards his head as though someone had chucked it at him. He quickly stuck out his hand and grabbed the staff out of the air.

Smiling in subtle surprise, Ruarc looked the staff over. What he once took as being just a hunk of wood now radiated magical energy, and he could also feel his own abilities being amplified. “Well, good thing that worked, although Ah am slightly worried about how it got out of ma closed house. Let’s try it out then.”

First things first, Ruarc redid his Stone Skin spell, and was quite pleased with his increased feeling of protection. Then as he surveyed the water he tried to come up with a plan to help. First thing that came to mind was to reduce the number of attackers. For that Ruarc thought of a diversion.
Without much prompting Ruarc began to run along the bank, circling around to a different side of the water. After he was a good distance away the Druid tried out some Earth magic. “Cloch a oscailt agus a ithe,” he chanted as he pushed his energy into the ground. Despite himself, he was impressed by the staff’s abilities as he raised an earthen pier that extended a fair way out into the water. As he made his way out onto the pier he made sure to kick some of the sand off of the path in order to disrupt the water and announce his presence. He hoped that the fish would either split up thus reducing the number attacking the main group, or draw out any reinforcements that could potentially attack the main group.
Ruarc soon reached the end of the pier and readied his staff. With his increased defenses he hoped he could draw the aggro off of the main group enough for them to move forward, and if not then he himself could advance to the center of the lake instead.
CadetNewb
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Re: [Episode Two] Right of Passages

Post by CadetNewb »

The faint, sweet smell of lightly cooked carp slowly wafted out of the water. Not that anyone noticed.

Duncan's initial attack wiped out most of the initial group, but the psychofish kept on coming! The American boy's attempts to keep them at bay had quickly tapered off into small, precise, individual bolts of lightning from his fingertips, sparing only just enough mana per fish to fry the head. 'Just as I planned, I took the brunt of the opening attack, but the others are too stupid to take advantage of it!' he thought, the pain in his feet and calves starting to bother him at last, blood staining the tatters that started from the knee down. When the others finally started to act and stem the tide of water, Duncan settled his eye on the prize; the isle in the center. He had to - "What the hell is Ruarc doing?!" he yelled as the druid forded forward.

It was settled then. 'The dolts aren't going to listen, so I'll have to just use them!' he thought. Before the could act, a carp leaped up to bite - Duncan's right arm moved to shield his face, the sharp and jagged teeth biting into his forearm.

"Damn!"
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Kokuten
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Re: [Episode Two] Right of Passages

Post by Kokuten »

Percy roughed it as best he could, but with the Koi and water being taken care of, Zulan was finding her abilities immediately freed up, but she lacked any ability to reach the center platform now. With most everyone handling the their more debilitating problems, the group had room to focus on the target at hand. So, with a swipe of his staff at one loose angry fish, he considered his options.

"Boy, call me out! I will slay whatever is on that plinth!" bellowed the mighty Aurus.

"No! We can't go around murdering everything up there! I can't have you hacking up Watanabe if she's there!" argued Percival back.

"Then I will slay whatever is on that plinth except for the weak and cowardly Watanabe!" replied a half-enraged Fire God.

"I don't think I could rely on you to keep your word, you kill indiscriminately!"

"Fool! Even so, if not me, what fate is she left to if they are allowed to escape! She is a mortal at the hands of a mage, she can be made to do anything they want, be their servant, thrall, or even play thing! They may even kill her outright to use her blood for magic! If you hesitate, your mouse-like friend's life as she knew it will end, and she becomes the tool of the next one that has her! The worst of it all will be that her cruel, unabiding fate will be your fault! She will be deflowered for the sake of power because of you!"

When Aurus roared in his mind like that, he felt his will crumble greatly, the urge to deny his wishes swept away like dirt under a broom. Still, he pressed against it, maintaining his own sensible mind. The voice wouldn't break him, not now, but the words did. He had heard horror stories of Mages abusing nonmags for the sake of their own power. There were books with detailed descriptions of what they could do and what they did do. He couldn't take the images that came to his mind, and he quickly recalled Zulan through the water, her blue energy returning to Unity, soon replaced with the burn wrath that spout Aurus from the very same place.

The mini-god deployed in the air, flames bursting around his being, and a gout of it erupting from his mouthpiece.

"Into the breach, boy!" demanded Aurus, which Percy obliged, by lighting up his staff with his enraged and fearful passions, and batting the fire god to the center platform! "Hoi!"
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Mr. Blackbird Lore
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Re: [Episode Two] Right of Passages

Post by Mr. Blackbird Lore »

Now that the water was under control and no longer a threat or impediment, Calamity Jane strode boldly forward, hands resting on the Colt Lightnings in their weary leather holsters. Just then Aurus went hurtling overhead, brazen as ever, and bellowing his battle cry. Jane smiled faintly at this gung-ho attitude. Then the smile slipped away quick as it had come, replaced by fiery determination. She began to jog, eyes never leaving the pair in the center of the lake. "Name yourself!" she shouted to the mysterious mage.
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Kai
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Re: [Episode Two] Right of Passages

Post by Kai »

Despite Percy's efforts, Aurus did not make it all the way to the top of the pillar- a few meters short, he impacted on a barrier that quickly became visible- once again it was made of runes- and caused him to deflect downwards, smashing instead into the side of the pillar with a fiery crash and a much larger than expected explosion. Unfortunately, the magically augmented pillar remained unscathed, and Aurus found himself sliding down the side of it once he regained himself.

Ruarc, having gone from the empty side of the pond to the side which had been overfilled by Miyuki's magic, found his tactic proved to be quite successful- not that the fish were much of a threat to the others in the group anymore. Tens, if not hundreds of fish, burst from the raging waters, almost blacking out what light there was, as they leapt toward their newest target.

As jane strode forward, and asked her question, the figure on the pillar merely laughed; she seemed confident, as if none of this hadn't been accounted for in her plans. this seemed to be nothing more than amusement for her. "Very well, young ones, I suppose it would not hurt to tell you. I am Caoranach, and my servant here has kindly offered me the use of her body until a suitable replacement can be found. Which, I'm assuming this must be your friend here, as you all came running so quickly. She has great potential, but is completely unaware of it, so, I shall take her body, and use it as it was meant to be!"
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Straken
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Re: [Episode Two] Right of Passages

Post by Straken »

”Well, it looks like your plan worked,” Laoise said bluntly as she watched her Keeper from the air.

“Yeah, got a few more fish than I was thinking though,” Ruarc replied as he stepped back a bit and braced himself as the cloud of hungry teeth and scales rushed him.
“Turraing!” Ruarc quickly chanted as he thrust his staff at the oncoming fish horde. From the tip of the staff a large bolt of lightning shot out and pierced through a portion of the wall of fish, killing several of the fish. The numbers of the attackers won out as the gilled fiends crashed into the druid. The sheer weight and momentum of the charge caused the young man to stumble back.

“Ah, this is a lot of fish,” Ruarc grunted as he tried to regain his balance under the weight of the fish trying to bite through his armor. Never had the druid been more thankful for his Stone Skin spell than now when many dozens of ravenous fish were trying to eat him, although he could still feel the painfully sharp teeth that were latched onto him.

Mustering what concentration he could, Ruarc cast Lightning again, this time focusing it in his hands rather than the staff. After a few dejected mumbles the druid brought his hands up and grabbed a fish, arcing the electricity through the rest of the fish that were latched onto him; which unfortunately meant shocking himself as well in the process.

“Ohoho, that hurt more than the last one,” Ruarc said as his legs gave out and he dropped to a knee.
”It is still considered a loss if you take yourself out rather than letting the enemy kill you, ya know?” Laoise chastised the questionable decision of the mage.
”Shut it. It was either electrocute myself, or set myself on fire. Both kind of suck,” Ruarc remarked back in his defense as he tried to get rid of the fish still stubbornly clinging to him.
”Oh yes, fire is a lot worse than electrocution. I mean just look how close you are to the water,” the bird said as she continued to prod the druid with her sarcastic comments and observations.
”I said shut it. I am the one fighting here, I’ll fight how I want,” the druid responded, suddenly feeling somewhat silly.
”I’ll take that as a win on my part, just don’t die.” With that said, Laoise quieted down in order to not distract her Keeper further. She just didn’t like being worried.

Upon hearing the person on the central pillar provide her introduction Laoise circled closer to the barrier for a better look. ”Did she say her name was Caoránach?” the bird thought to herself as she flew around the pillar. Upon inspecting the runes of the barrier and the person calling herself Caoránach the bird got a very uneasy feeling.
”This could prove problematic,” Laoise thought to herself as she felt she was getting a better appreciation for the Druid Council’s foresight for sending Ruarc to Japan.
CadetNewb
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Re: [Episode Two] Right of Passages

Post by CadetNewb »

The Druid guy had handled the massive wave of fish. Ok, that was fine. But the other guy with the elemental avatar things - not so. There was also a damn barrier up and the fire thing bounced off it like a GI Joe being tossed at a brick wall! Plus, that person that had put the thing up was just asking for it - gloating and being arrogant was his thing! Not hers! But barriers...Duncan hated those things - his sister was always putting them up when she felt like teasing him! It wasn't fair! Though sophisticated spells like his could take the barrier apart more efficiently, marginalizing the cost, it still fell down to the one thing that Duncan didn't have. Power. Energy to spare and toss away freely. He always did more with less, but more was always more! This time, he'd be hard pressed no matter what. Knowing this, he did the only logical thing.

Duncan reached into his pants to pull out his wand.

Unlike most wands that people pictured, his wasn't some dainty little stick that would snap in two at a wave. No. It was a four foot long example of elegant MANLINESS! A smooth and powerful weapon composed of hardwood and steel that harked back to a more civilized era - a solid nine pounds of magical amplification! Duncan aimed it with ease at the culprit - he needed to delete this barrier spell and let the chumps through to give this arrogant bitch a lesson - nobody ruined his designer boots and pants without good reason! Nobody! The boy rapidly read out the chant in his mind, visualized the words, released every bit of energy he had for it and gathered the spell into his wand, the Martini-Henry, before pulling the trigger.

"Deleo."

The dispel was terrifying, even malicious in nature; the whole scene went dark as the ambient light itself was drawn into a thin white column of absolute nothing that lanced out of the wand and at the culprit on the pillar. It looked as though someone had simply taken an eraser and swiped a thin line across the scene, revealing the clean white paper that formed the very foundation of it all! As existence returned to normal, Duncan fell to his knees in the water, his hands grasping his giant 'wand' like a staff in an attempt to hold himself up. The boy's vision came in and out of focus due to the exertion, but everything quickly became clear.

He darkly chuckled.
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