Re: The Grand Battle [Round Five: Battleopolis!]
01-23-2010, 03:17 PM
Originally posted on MSPA by Dragon Fogel.
Lutherion and Konka Rar approached the City Hall. Lutherion tried the door.
"Locked. Huh, guess that figures. If it's really empty like your vacuum says..."
"It goes beyond that," Konka Rar said, thoughtfully. "There is a powerful magic barrier to prevent intrusion. I advise standing back."
Lutherion did so. Konka Rar raised his arms and began chanting. A massive purple aura appeared around the building; slowly, cracks appeared in the aura, and it shattered to pieces.
Then Konka Rar grabbed the doorknob with his mechanical arm, and pulled the door off its hinges.
"There. Do come in."
Konka Rar entered. Lutherion followed.
As did a third, unseen presence.
***
Alcarith flew forward at the colossal beast, trying to smash its skull. The skull shattered, but the monster did not stop.
Amethyst ordered her crystals to attack the thrusters in hopes of slowing the beast down. Dorukomets dematerialized into its center and attempted to rematerialize, but found he couldn't. He flew out and reappeared.
"There's some kind of spell keeping me from appearing inside there," he yelled at Alcarith. "Let's try hitting those wind-cannons instead. You take the left, I'll take the right."
They attacked the shoulder cannons, but the left one turned towards Alcarith and blew her away. The right tried to do the same, but Dorukomets dematerialized in time to stop it. However, he couldn't attack it like this.
"Aim for the machines on its feet!" Amethyst shouted at them. "We need to slow it down first."
That worked better. With aid from Amethyst's crystals, the thrusters were soon disabled. Alcarith tried to trip it, but its feet were better armored than its apparently useless head. Still, that had bought them a few minutes before it reached the motionless Aeon and Nathan...
***
Eximo continued its slow, reluctant advance towards its new targets.
We must find... some other way...
***
City Hall was as empty as Eximo's scans had suggested. There was only the hum of machinery.
At the end of the entrance hallway was an ornate doorway. Lutherion tried opening it - but once again, it was locked.
"Magic here, too?"
"Indeed. And stronger than the barrier outside. But, I believe what we are seeking is very close. One moment."
Konka Rar chanted again. This time, a light green aura appeared around the door, blinking wildly. From Lutherion's vantage point, it almost appeared as if the barrier was fighting back; perhaps it was.
After nearly a minute, the aura became more solid, and a crack appeared. Then a few more. Slowly, the barrier collapsed; Konka Rar spoke, sounding weaker.
"With such a powerful barrier... yes, it... it must be here." He reached for the handle, but he put his arm down almost right away. "Exhausting this body... should be impossible. Powerful magic indeed..."
"Allow me," Lutherion said, emotionless. He smashed the door to bits with the Wightmaw Arm. "Now, let's see what's in here that's so important."
***
The demon suddenly grinned as he watched Aeon struggle with Nathan.
The fool. Soon, it won't matter if he frees the boy. In mere moments, the results of this battle will be meaningless.
***
Inside, a glowing key floated above a pedestal.
"The Key to the City" was inscribed on a plaque below it.
"Subtle," Lutherion said, dryly. "So, what, this lets us control the entire city?"
"I believe so. However, the barrier surrounding it is even more powerful than the one protecting this room," Konka Rar looked thoughtful. "I believe it must be disabled in a specific way."
"Good guess," a voice said suddenly. Dexter appeared in front of them. "The barrier is disabled by a password... the true name of this city. It's filtered so that outsiders, and those who have had their memories restored, can't hear it spoken or see it written."
Lutherion looked at him angrily.
"Are you the one that's been following me?"
"I have no idea what you're talking about. I've been here for about ten minutes trying to find a clue to the city's name, or another way to the key. But I've had no luck."
"That's because you can't see the spirit realm," another voice suddenly said. "The filter doesn't work there."
"I knew I was being followed!" Lutherion screamed. "Show yourself!"
"I can't, not yet. My messenger isn't strong enough to do that. But talking? That, I can manage." The voice grew more smug. "That's why I can say... GEIRAM!"
"Password confirmed," a mechanized voice said. The floating key fell to the pedestal. Lutherion reached for it, but his hand stopped an inch away.
"I... can't move!"
"Of course not," said Dexter, as he quickly picked up the key. "You're a creation of this city. The key won't let you get near it even if nobody is using it. I, on the other hand..."
Dexter suddenly found his hand shaking uncontrollably. He dropped the key.
"Ah, that's much better," said the voice from nowhere. "Can't have competition." The key floated upwards, and a bone splinter was pulled out of Lutherion's arm, seemingly by itself.
The splinter formed into a mimic, then took the shape of the demon lord.
"Perfect. Well done, my servant. You even get your body back, in a manner of speaking."
"You... You took my mimic!" Lutherion shouted. "That's why I thought I sensed something!"
"Correct," the demon said. "I made a deal with him in the last round, in exchange for his services. Nathan's body was useless in the bone web, so I released the mimic's soul. I was originally planning to find some way to escape the web, but I realized you might be able to do something about your own minion. Instead, I followed you. And it paid off." The demon grinned widely. "Now every atom of this city is mine to command."
Dexter tried to flee, but he found himself stuck in place.
"Including atoms in dimensions mortals can't fathom. But I can. And you're just going to cause trouble for me. Goodbye."
The demon manipulated Lutherion's arm, causing it to blast through Dexter's heart. He screamed and fell to the floor, dead.
"Now, I suppose I may as well win this silly competition. Come with me, you two." He flew off; with his control of the air, he was able to allow Konka Rar and Lutherion to fly with him.
***
Dorukomets and Alcarith suddenly stopped attacking the monstrosity. They turned towards Amethyst.
"What's wrong?" she asked. But the look in her eyes gave her an unpleasant idea of what it was.
Emily ran up behind her, trying to ram her with her shield; Amethyst noticed just in time, and dodged. Midnara's body rose up from the ground to join the attack. Even Jerry flew down from a rooftop, without the aid of the broomstick. Dozens of people in the distance started walking towards them as well, shuffling.
The demon soon made his appearance, Lutherion and Konka Rar flying beside him.
"Ah, good. I was hoping you'd still be alive when I got here. I can't let my new puppets have all the fun."
Lutherion and Konka Rar approached the City Hall. Lutherion tried the door.
"Locked. Huh, guess that figures. If it's really empty like your vacuum says..."
"It goes beyond that," Konka Rar said, thoughtfully. "There is a powerful magic barrier to prevent intrusion. I advise standing back."
Lutherion did so. Konka Rar raised his arms and began chanting. A massive purple aura appeared around the building; slowly, cracks appeared in the aura, and it shattered to pieces.
Then Konka Rar grabbed the doorknob with his mechanical arm, and pulled the door off its hinges.
"There. Do come in."
Konka Rar entered. Lutherion followed.
As did a third, unseen presence.
***
Alcarith flew forward at the colossal beast, trying to smash its skull. The skull shattered, but the monster did not stop.
Amethyst ordered her crystals to attack the thrusters in hopes of slowing the beast down. Dorukomets dematerialized into its center and attempted to rematerialize, but found he couldn't. He flew out and reappeared.
"There's some kind of spell keeping me from appearing inside there," he yelled at Alcarith. "Let's try hitting those wind-cannons instead. You take the left, I'll take the right."
They attacked the shoulder cannons, but the left one turned towards Alcarith and blew her away. The right tried to do the same, but Dorukomets dematerialized in time to stop it. However, he couldn't attack it like this.
"Aim for the machines on its feet!" Amethyst shouted at them. "We need to slow it down first."
That worked better. With aid from Amethyst's crystals, the thrusters were soon disabled. Alcarith tried to trip it, but its feet were better armored than its apparently useless head. Still, that had bought them a few minutes before it reached the motionless Aeon and Nathan...
***
Eximo continued its slow, reluctant advance towards its new targets.
We must find... some other way...
***
City Hall was as empty as Eximo's scans had suggested. There was only the hum of machinery.
At the end of the entrance hallway was an ornate doorway. Lutherion tried opening it - but once again, it was locked.
"Magic here, too?"
"Indeed. And stronger than the barrier outside. But, I believe what we are seeking is very close. One moment."
Konka Rar chanted again. This time, a light green aura appeared around the door, blinking wildly. From Lutherion's vantage point, it almost appeared as if the barrier was fighting back; perhaps it was.
After nearly a minute, the aura became more solid, and a crack appeared. Then a few more. Slowly, the barrier collapsed; Konka Rar spoke, sounding weaker.
"With such a powerful barrier... yes, it... it must be here." He reached for the handle, but he put his arm down almost right away. "Exhausting this body... should be impossible. Powerful magic indeed..."
"Allow me," Lutherion said, emotionless. He smashed the door to bits with the Wightmaw Arm. "Now, let's see what's in here that's so important."
***
The demon suddenly grinned as he watched Aeon struggle with Nathan.
The fool. Soon, it won't matter if he frees the boy. In mere moments, the results of this battle will be meaningless.
***
Inside, a glowing key floated above a pedestal.
"The Key to the City" was inscribed on a plaque below it.
"Subtle," Lutherion said, dryly. "So, what, this lets us control the entire city?"
"I believe so. However, the barrier surrounding it is even more powerful than the one protecting this room," Konka Rar looked thoughtful. "I believe it must be disabled in a specific way."
"Good guess," a voice said suddenly. Dexter appeared in front of them. "The barrier is disabled by a password... the true name of this city. It's filtered so that outsiders, and those who have had their memories restored, can't hear it spoken or see it written."
Lutherion looked at him angrily.
"Are you the one that's been following me?"
"I have no idea what you're talking about. I've been here for about ten minutes trying to find a clue to the city's name, or another way to the key. But I've had no luck."
"That's because you can't see the spirit realm," another voice suddenly said. "The filter doesn't work there."
"I knew I was being followed!" Lutherion screamed. "Show yourself!"
"I can't, not yet. My messenger isn't strong enough to do that. But talking? That, I can manage." The voice grew more smug. "That's why I can say... GEIRAM!"
"Password confirmed," a mechanized voice said. The floating key fell to the pedestal. Lutherion reached for it, but his hand stopped an inch away.
"I... can't move!"
"Of course not," said Dexter, as he quickly picked up the key. "You're a creation of this city. The key won't let you get near it even if nobody is using it. I, on the other hand..."
Dexter suddenly found his hand shaking uncontrollably. He dropped the key.
"Ah, that's much better," said the voice from nowhere. "Can't have competition." The key floated upwards, and a bone splinter was pulled out of Lutherion's arm, seemingly by itself.
The splinter formed into a mimic, then took the shape of the demon lord.
"Perfect. Well done, my servant. You even get your body back, in a manner of speaking."
"You... You took my mimic!" Lutherion shouted. "That's why I thought I sensed something!"
"Correct," the demon said. "I made a deal with him in the last round, in exchange for his services. Nathan's body was useless in the bone web, so I released the mimic's soul. I was originally planning to find some way to escape the web, but I realized you might be able to do something about your own minion. Instead, I followed you. And it paid off." The demon grinned widely. "Now every atom of this city is mine to command."
Dexter tried to flee, but he found himself stuck in place.
"Including atoms in dimensions mortals can't fathom. But I can. And you're just going to cause trouble for me. Goodbye."
The demon manipulated Lutherion's arm, causing it to blast through Dexter's heart. He screamed and fell to the floor, dead.
"Now, I suppose I may as well win this silly competition. Come with me, you two." He flew off; with his control of the air, he was able to allow Konka Rar and Lutherion to fly with him.
***
Dorukomets and Alcarith suddenly stopped attacking the monstrosity. They turned towards Amethyst.
"What's wrong?" she asked. But the look in her eyes gave her an unpleasant idea of what it was.
Emily ran up behind her, trying to ram her with her shield; Amethyst noticed just in time, and dodged. Midnara's body rose up from the ground to join the attack. Even Jerry flew down from a rooftop, without the aid of the broomstick. Dozens of people in the distance started walking towards them as well, shuffling.
The demon soon made his appearance, Lutherion and Konka Rar flying beside him.
"Ah, good. I was hoping you'd still be alive when I got here. I can't let my new puppets have all the fun."
Spoiler
There's no reason for this | Or this | Death is inevitable | You can't challenge fate | The smallest change | I'm overwhelmed
I'm serious | It makes perfect sense | Easy as ABC! | I can't even explain it | Cleaning up someone else's mess
I suck | I rule | I've got it made | Really, I'm serious | This bugs me | It's all lies | I want to believe | Beauty is a curse
I'm serious | It makes perfect sense | Easy as ABC! | I can't even explain it | Cleaning up someone else's mess
I suck | I rule | I've got it made | Really, I'm serious | This bugs me | It's all lies | I want to believe | Beauty is a curse