Battle 3: vs Dragonskull Colosseum Lv 11

Dusk settles over the sky as Castle High arrives at its next destination: a mountain range, extending farther than the eye can see in both directions. The cold chill running through the air puts you slightly on edge as you wait at your position for the castle to land. Far, far up above, Corbin is putting his expertise to use as he navigates the entire castle between stone spires and cliffs. Looking down at the desolate mountainside, you can't help but wonder if there was some sort of mistake: there's no way that there could really be--

"Ladies and gentlemen, it's time for our main event!"

The sudden, uproarious sound of cheering strikes your ears, as a once-empty valley is suddenly revealed to be dominated by a massive, circular colosseum. The colosseum itself appears to be made entirely of stone at first, but as you peer closer, you can see them: bones. Gigantic bones the size of horses are built into and along the walls, forming rings around the colosseum, leading to the massive, reptilian skull that stands at the arena's north side.

Russel notices your alarm at the sudden appearance and calls over, "Anti-detection magic! This place is pretty well hidden from anyone who isn't supposed to be here. Sounds like they haven't noticed us yet though, either. Heheh, doubt they ever thought about counter measures for a flying castle."

As the castle descends further and the troops prepare to drop out, you continue to hear the sound of a loud, announcing voice. "As many of you know, our greatest wish here in the Dragonskull Colosseum is to bring about the greatest battles you'll see anywhere in the world! In today's age of peaceful townships and sleepy monarchs, we -- that is to say, I, stand as a beacon for the true spirit of humanity!!" The line earns another roaring applause. "And so, for the first time in our history, our main event is not a simple duel between individuals. It is instead a battle of ideologies and scale the likes of which you've never seen before! Without further ado...."

"Wait a minute, scale?" Russel says, a realization forming in his eyes. "It couldn't be... the information we got on this place, was it-- crap, all forces, defensive positions, now! We need to--"

"Castle High, the Dragonskull Colosseum challenges you to a duel!"

And then, like you had simply blinked, you are awash in bright light. As your eyes adjust, you see where you, Regiment 1-31, the entire army, and the entirety of Castle High itself have been transported: within the colosseum itself. As the crowd erupts into feverish cheering, the forces of Castle High stumble out the castle's gates among spotlights and music. The colosseum somehow seems to have grown in size so it can contain the castle. High above the arena floor, a completely packed audience cheers and roars. And directly in front of you, clad in bone-white armor that radiates a golden energy, is the focal point of their attention, the announcer you had heard, whose identity you can certainly guess. His face is charming and charismatic, a natural-born performer and crowd pleaser, with an intimidating aura of sheer confidence and control.

"That's right! For one night and one night only, it shall be the forces of Dragonskull Colosseum, warriors for freedom and the human spirit, against the new, flying terror itself, Castle High! And under the glorious light of Lady Manisa, Goddess of Duels, only one of us will leave alive!"

"Battle positions, quickly!" Russel calls out. "They knew we were coming! It was a trap!" As the castle's forces begin to organize, the gates of the colosseum open, and hordes upon hordes of soldiers spill forth. Most are barely armed, with perhaps a breastplate and a blade, but others come in on horseback, repel down on steel wires, swing massive swords breathing fire, conjure bolts of blazing lightning... and they just keep coming. Their forces slam into the defenders on the flanks, immediately devolving them into bloody brawls. Remembering Rosemary's earlier words, you doubt everyone will walk away with their lives today...

"Ah, and you must be the illustrious Regiment 1-31 my dear friend told me about," the Gilded Champion calls, walking toward the group as a horde forms behind him. "You shall have the great honor of facing me!" The crowd erupts into louder cheers, earning them a wave from the champion, as a small circle of light appears on the ground in front of him. He walks toward it, raising his radiant sword and smiling, his cape billowing in the breeze like a living legend. "Let's give the people a beautiful show. Don't die too quickly now, alright?"

"Hold fast, everyone!" Russel calls out, his voice still resolute despite the dire circumstances. "We can do this! Watch each other's backs, and don't give them an inch!"

Boss Enemies (README):

Castle High Forces:

CASTLE HIGH Lv. 11
HP 11000 / 11000

---

"We have the honor of facing you?"

Severa's face contorted slightly with disgust. She'd heard words like these many times before. Raising her voice, she shouts out - "You're nothing but a slaver who hides behind the power of a patron, from where I'm standing! Your power means nothing without solid moral grounding and a good soul behind it!"

Striding forward, she readied her Makeshift Doublesaber, and once again raised her voice high - "I am Severa Steel, the Seventh Sage, Eighth of her Name, vassal to the Lord Ragnus, and if it's godhood you hide behind, then godhood I shall employ - on your honor, if my god ignores me, shed your divine skin and face me as a man and nothing more! Prove yourself worthy of your title, O Gilded One!"

>Severa: Taunt the Gilded Champion. Challenge him to a duel.

"Ragnus, I beseech thee, lend me thine aid in this time of need - grant me and mine the power to slay this wicked man who would see the world turned from light, and deliver it unto darkness..."

>Severa: Pray for divine aid from her god, Lord Ragnus the Maker.

Standing tall, Severa now ran forward - with or without divine help - and began swinging swiftly, striking at extremities, trying to knock the Gilded Champion flat on his ass...!

>Severa: Rush the Gilded Champion and unleash a flurry of sweeping blows, aimed more to destabilize than deal damage.

...What a hypocrite… Although Bran was quiet, and his face betrayed fear, not resolve, he recoiled in disgust. He couldn’t bring himself to be angry, but the claims of the Gilded Champion that he was fighting for justice disgusted him. Gulping, he posed in order to begin casting.

“Do we really have no other options?” He sighed.

Seeing Severa and Arthur taking the frontline, Bran was taken aback. But he immediately changed his plans. If these two were going to go all out, they would need all the help they can get.

Bran: Begin casting a spell to reinforce Severa and Arthur's skin using Earth magic.

"...tch. I hope they won't interrogate me again after this."

As the rest of the Regiment barreled ahead of him, Arthur strolled along as relaxed as can be through the Castle Gate. He'd gotten his arm patched up, securely woven in bandages, and now sported a sturdy leather armor breastplate over his chest... As if he knew she was looking, he flashed a wry glance behind him and upwards, then a wink.



"...Russel," He managed over the noise, walking forward into the crowd of his peers-- he spoke loud enough for at least them to hear him, even if Severa and a few others had gone far ahead. "Do not ask questions about this now, but I have been here before..."

"...that man over there, The Gilded Champion-- is invoking some sort of magic to make himself very nearly invincible. However, that circle in front of him..." Arthur pointed it out vaguely with the tip of his blade, "...seems to boost the strength of one standing in it to levels much greater than normal. In the spirit of an 'honest' duel, it offers an opportunity to strike him down-- but something will take a hold of you, there... An unshakable desire to keep your focus only on him."

"...in addition," he added, his expression growing a touch concerned. "That man has the power to force individuals to duel each other, also with magic... Those who dare resist are... instantly incapacitated. Or rendered very near to that state, anyhow... Mind yourself, all right?"

"This place is true hell. A despicable cage where the flame of humanity is trapped like a songbird and forced to sing for dear life..."

The edge of his lips ticked up into a smirk, just for a fraction of a second. "...this is no place for good people like you. Though that may be the very thing that saves everyone... hohoho! We'll see."



...suddenly, his dark, mellow voice crescendoed over the noise-- almost diabolical in its cadence.

"AAAAHAHAHAHA!"

After stalking forward a few more steps, he took the side of his sword off of its perch on his shoulder, dropping its tip to the ground with a resounding clang!

"Are you all really so determined to die?!" He grinned-- an evil smile-- his very presence seeming as if it were flaring out like a wildfire... "How foolish! You should know full well... or etch this now in your minds forever: Those who dare encroach upon the kingdom of the Silver Lion shall perish!"



The Silver Lion...


...hahahah. He thought he'd put that name away forever.

...but he wasn't around anymore to stop his blade. Before the swordsman spoke again, a silent apology left his lips.




"Now... DISAPPEAR!" He roared-- "Or submit to your king, you filthy animals! Perhaps there's a better use for those heads of yours than being freed from your shoulders for cheap entertainment!"

>Arthur: Using the sheer power of his presence, intimidate (or taunt) all the lesser units into fleeing, following his orders, or attacking him. Build adrenaline and praise, while taking on a vicious stance!

Hearing Arthur's words and trying his best not to dwell too long on how he knew such things, Russel called out, "Severa!" as she raced for the champion. "The glowing circle! Jump in it! It'll power you up!"

"What?" The Gilded Champion said, a twinge of anger flashing across his face. "The Silver Lion? He's a part of that castle? Of all the blasted times..."

"Heheh... wonder if Geller's watching," he said to himself.

"Erika! Play me something HOT!" Vince raised his blank rod to his mouth like a microphone.

>Vince: Use magic to amplify his voice for a rallying speech to boost Morale...

"ALLLRIGHT, REGIMENT ONE THIRTY-ONE! This guy ain't nothin'! We've shown our stuff before, but this time, I want you to give it your all! I wanna see some fireworks out there! I wanna see some sweat! I wanna see sparks fly, I wanna see swords clash, I wanna see this castle ROCKED TO THE GROUND!"

"This is our night! The odds might be against us, but are we gonna back down? HELL NO! When you fight that big, bad tin can, you better pack the heat! Cause when all's said and done, I wanna see you knock that walking Golden Garbage Can OFF. HIS. BLOCK!!!

At the mark of 'Block,' with one swift motion, Vince threw his empty hand up in the air through which he channeled a short, but powerful burst of magic, and shot out his Shaka-Rock hand sign.

>Vince: ...followed by a giant, skyward, exploding violet Shaka-Rock to kick things off. Begin charging up power.

"And you better make it hot."

>Saul: Caught off-guard by the suddenness of the ambush and Severa's hotheaded attack, attempt to pray and regain connection with the divine.

At the request to play something hot, Erika smirked. "You got it, bro!"

With a soft foot tap that remained steady and pulsing like a heartbeat, she began to play. (The opening to Barracuda by Heart)

Buff Vince's morale speech with music

Severa leads the charge, running forth to battle against the Gilded Champion! She intends to taunt the champion, but there's almost no need: as she begins to speak, the Champion strolls forward, blade readied. "Ah, I so love when they come to face death of their own accord! Come then, Severa! I'll show you how I've never lost!"
Before she meets him, she offers up a prayer to her god Lord Ragnus. The Gilded Champion laughs, "You simple-minded woman, you stand within Dragonskull Colosseum, where the blood of thousands has been shed to appease my great goddess, Lady Manisa! Your gods have no power--"

"My disciple will match the power you wield, pitiful creature."

And as the distant voice speaks, Severa feels a power welling up in her, and her Doublesaber: she receives a Blessing of Equal Might! For the next three turns, attacks against an enemy will always have at least the same power as that enemy's attack!

Not stopping for a moment, she steps into the golden circle -- in an instant, she can feel power coursing through her body. Her magical circuits flare to life as her muscles nearly vibrate with raw stamina and force. Pulling all this power to bear, she unleashes a flurry of sweeping blows on the Gilded Champion, dealing 672 damage!! Better yet, the assault knocks the foe off his feet, knocking him Prone -- he can't perform melee attacks this next turn! The crowd in the colosseum gives a small cheer at the display of speed and power.

Yet despite the damage... there's no blood, nor any sign of damage to him nor his armor. The Gilded Champion laughs aloud, "Fine work! You even knocked me over! I'll make sure to pay you back."

The flurry of action leaves Severa completely exhausted... (-1 Adv)

Negative Advantage:

Training Mission Complete! Severa has put her efforts into supporting others long enough to perfect a particular supporting Technique. She gains the Technique Crystalline Shield: she forms a barrier of crystal around an ally or herself, increasing their magical defense and blocking some damage for them. If the crystal is shattered by a melee attack, it also deals damage to the attacker!

Meanwhile, Bran focuses their power, constructing a barrier to reinforce their allies with Earth magic. Though not as powerful as he may have wished, the spell works, creating a thin layer of hardened stone right above Arthur and Severa's skin, giving them each a barrier worth 60 HP! (+1 Adv)

Training Mission Complete! Bran has spent long enough utilizing multi-target spells to develop a particular magical attack. He gains the Technique Arcane Storm: he casts out a wide flurry of arcane projectiles which strike all enemies! He can also spend an action to charge up a particular type of magic, and then focus it into an Arcane Storm, causing it to deal increased damage and have a chance to inflict a status effect!

Arthur announces his presence with power and gusto! His showy performance earns him a few cheers from the audience, along with a few boo's. His taunting catches the attention of Disheveled Gladiator A, Disheveled Gladiator B, Disgraced Knight A, and Disgraced Knight B! Feeling as if they'd upset their master and the crowd by ignoring the man, they hone in on attacking him! Arthur then prepares himself for the oncoming attack! (+1 Adv)

Erika begins to pluck a powerful beat to aid Vince, giving him Soul of the Beat: he gains +2 to charismatic actions for the next three turns! The crowd begins to clap along to the sound! (+1 Adv)

Vince then tries to buff his own charismatic abilities with magic, but can't quite manage more than speaking especially loud. Then, building up hype and adrenaline, he gives a stirring, powerful speech to his teammates! As he does, the members of other Regiments begin to listen in as well -- those who were despairing or panicking at the sudden ambush and stocked odds. With one final flourish, he ignites the air, throwing up a massive Shaka-Rock of purple flame!
The sheer size of the symbol is breathtaking, and the entire crowd unabashedly begins to cheer at the spectacle! As it flies up, a massive crack of thunder fills the air from somewhere else, followed by a plume of blue flame, a snowstorm of ice -- the entire army of Castle High roars, throwing their power into the heavens! The crowd roars their approval!

All allies gain the Hearts on Fire buff! They gain +1 to all actions and have the power of all actions increased by +10 until the status is somehow lost or the battle ends!

Vince is charging up power...(+1 Adv)

With a renewed spark in their chest, Saul reaches out for their divine connection in prayer. In this heated moment, with his adrenaline pumping, he suddenly feels a calm and peace overtaking him. Though he hears no divine words, he suddenly feels more at ease: Saul gains Clear Mind for three turns, gaining +1 to all defenses as he is better able to focus on his foes. (+1 Adv)

Russel runs forward without hesitation, yelling, "For Castle High!! For the future of this country!!" before making a wide swing with his Sunsetter! He cleaves through all four Disheveled Gladiators, dealing 180 damage to each of them! (+1 Adv)

Emilia readies a volley of arrows, fire burning in her eyes, "Yeah!! Time to show you all what a Sauer can do!" She pulls back her bow, and in quick succession, two arrows fly forth for both Disgraced Knights! One raises their buckler and blocks the shot, but the other is struck square in her chest, dealing 65 damage... and causing her to slump to the ground! Disgraced Knight B is now Sleeping, and won't attack this round unless hit! (+1 Adv)

Disheveled Gladiators A and B charge Arthur with warcries! He catches the blade of the first, knocking them away, but is unable to stop the second from cleaving him in the shin, dealing 137 damage! Bran's barrier blocks some of the attack, however, reducing it to 77 damage. (+1 Adv)

Training Mission Complete! Arthur has regained some of his fighting gusto, and can focus it into a new Technique! Arthur gains the Technique Brawler's Challenge: he may use it to Taunt a foe and, if successful, will gain a buff to his defense and power against that foe!

Disheveled Gladiators C and D, meanwhile, set their sights on Saul, swinging their blades for him! But the former paladin is quick to react, sidestepping one strike and batting away the other's blow, keeping a safe distance from the two.

Disgraced Knight A strikes at Arthur next! He yells, "Taste the blade of a man long since forgotten!" He has far better technique than the Gladiators, and manages to capitalize on Arthur's new injury to land a pommel strike to his chest followed by a hard kick to the face, drawing blood and dealing 198 damage! (+1 Adv)

Disgraced Knight B gives a loud snore, managing to emerge from her sleep and give her head a shake. "Sorry, uh, what did I miss?"
Her fellow knight gives her a shake of the head, "Why did we even fight to get you that shield if you aren't going to use it?"
"Gimmie a break, there's like, ten people to watch out for!"

Despairing Cleric A and Despairing Cleric B exchange nervous looks, but give each other a nod that seems to reassure them both: raising their divine focuses, a golden light fills their portion of the Colosseum, as a wave of light surges out and heals all enemies for 100 HP! (+1 Adv)

Dishonored Pyromancer cracks their knuckles, a wide grin. "Oh hey, thanks for all the flames!" they yell to Vince, raising their hands. From the burning symbol of righteousness Vince had created in the sky, they pull an orb of flame, before clapping their hands together, the Charred Flame Strip wrapped around them sparking with fiery power! The orb explodes, sending flaming projectiles down at Regiment and at the castle itself! Castle High takes 580 damage, while Bran, Vince, Saul, Erika, and Emilia all get hit by falling embers, each taking 97 damage!

The Gilded Champion points a hand toward Vince, and Talius nods, their wand flowing with power. In a scratchy but forceful voice, they yell, "Your theatrics shall earn you no reprieve, boy! For no matter how mighty the flame..." and with a flick, a column of water forms behind them. They grin, "it takes just a bit of water to snuff it out."
The column blasts toward Vince as a single unit, slamming him back into the wall of Castle High and dealing 289 damage as the water crushes him there!
Talius' Unending Assault ability activates: upon a successful attack, he can then use that attack again on a different target! Spinning their Surging Wand around, another column of water hurdles toward Erika! She throws herself to the side to avoid it, only being scrapped by the column's rim, but the force is still enough to send her spinning through the air once, landing on her elbow hard for 144 damage! (+2 Adv)

Finally, the Gilded Champion brings himself to bear. He pulls himself to his feet, wiping dirt off his shining armor as he looks upon Severa, too distant for a proper sword strike. "I must say, you all are certainly crowd pleasers. I really do appreciate that -- charged these fine folks top dollar for this battle! That said, I think you might be getting a bit too cocky. An important part of the spectacle is to see the hope of competitors melt away, after all."

"So, allow me to educate you! Did you notice how your last attack didn't phase me? That's because of this beauty," he knocked on his armor. "I created this Colosseum from the bones of an ancient dragon, and it has some fun properties. Any damage I would take while wearing this armor, the Colosseum takes instead. Which means..." he pointed up, raising his voice. "As long as Dragonskull Colosseum stands, I'm invincible!!"

He lowered his gaze back to Severa. "Ah, but you poor dear don't have the same luxury, I'm afraid."
The Gilded Champion raises their blade, and a blinding golden power begins to engulf it! With two hands, he brings the blade around and into an upward slash, the space between the sword and its target suddenly disappearing! Before Severa can even realize what's happening, her body gets launched through the air, a massive gash opened across her chest and even up toward her face! She then hits the ground with a thud that imply something had been broken. Even with Bran's barrier, she receives 932 damage!!!

Further still, behind her, one of the towers of Castle High crumbles -- it received 1230 damage from the strike as well, which cleaved through both of them! The crowd jumps to their feet, completely disregarding the members of Castle High as they chant "CHAMP-I-ON, CHAMP-I-ON, CHAMP-I-ON!" (+1 Adv)

The Gilded Champion then makes their second action! He looks back at Arthur, smirking. "I'd have thought you'd know better than to challenge me, Silver Lion. Seems it's time to beat another lesson into you. Hmmm..." he scanned the others, his eyes landing on Bran. He swings out his hands, and a golden thread suddenly wraps itself around the necks of both Bran and Arthur! "You two shall duel. Oh, I do hope you manage to stand though, Lion, hahaha!"

Arthur and Bran have been locked in a Duel to the Death! Each gains an additional action this next turn at no cost, but must spend that action trying to attack the other with intent to kill! Failure to do so will lead to a massive loss in HP! (+1 Adv)

(GM NOTE: Standing in the golden circle in front of the Gilded Champion grants the Glory of Combat buff, giving massive amounts of Power while you stand in the circle, but forcing you to only perform actions targeting the Champion. Only one ally may use the circle per turn, and the benefits of the circle do not carry over in-between turns. The Champion will attack whoever is standing in the circle.)

Castle High Forces:

CASTLE HIGH Lv. 11
HP 9190 / 11000

---

...What is this power? Bran’s arm twitched, a sign of his mind trying to overcome the magic that currently controlled him. No… it wouldn’t work. There was nothing he could do. This wasn’t the power of a magic-user-it was the power of a god.

“...I am so sorry.”

Bran: Spend an action charging up Lightning elemental magic, then use the action granted by Duel to the Death to unleash an Arcane Storm, targeting all enemies-including Arthur.

Pain, burning, searing..."But this is nothing; I've seen worse. Been through...worse..."

Slowly getting to her feet, Severa clutched her double saber like a crutch, and began approaching the Gilded Champion again...but she stopped. She had been in situations like this before...but never in this state.

She wasn't a fighter anymore...

"PALADIN! HEADS UP!

Turning and with an almighty hurl, she gathered her Lord's energy in to her hands and blasted it outwards, towards Saul!

Severa: Pass your Blessing of Equal Might to Saul, if possible.

"Grrrgh..."

Arthur spat out a wad of blood as he picked himself back up, glaring at the Champion from all the way across the battlefield... He could take being struck in the shin, kicked in the face, winded with a blow to the chest, but this-! A new fury boiled his blood, his unoccupied hand flexing greedily. He was definitely... definitely going to finish this tonight.

His glare turned to Bran-- momentarily enraged, as if directing a very sharp, punctuated, "I'm going to kill you, and then I'm going to kill him," straight through his head...

...and then it faltered- subtly, but surely.

...:

...his expression tempering to a more mild heat, the mercenary sheathed his sword and brought his hands in front of him, shaking out his wrists.

"This is still just as deadly-- don't let your guard down. Now... let's finish this quickly!"

>Arthur: Focus deeply and prepare to watch for Bran's magic; when he attacks, stay still and maneuver carefully around his strikes before charging in to punch him in the throat!

>Arthur: Prepare to intercept and counter direct attacks aimed towards himself and Bran.

"I am not your caged bird!" he growled, whipping around for a brief moment to send a searing glare straight across the battlefield. "Why don't you come here, take off that gaudy armor, and fight me like a man, you lily-livered wanker?!"

"Gah- Hey! I didn't consent to that, you wannabe!" Just then a rough voice rapped his eardrums. "Oh sHIII--" The sound of roaring waters drowned out his exclamation, and with a heavy thud, Vince crashed into Castle High. Wet. A feeling not fitting for someone who likes a good, dry heat. Despite his flames being used against him and the sudden flooding of his nostrils, Vince wasn't ready to give it up.

"Blughk- Echh!- Aw geez, man. You had to go and do that..." He said, slowly rising to his feet. He slicked back his wet hair. His sharp eyebrows, now exposed, furrowed in smoldering anger. He was practically, if not literally steaming.

"Every time I go out, my jacket gets disrespected..." He unzipped the jacket, took it off, and tied the arms around his waist. He recollected his thoughts: "First the embers, then a flash flood, now what? What could I do? Whose nose do I punch in first?" In one fierce huff, steam erupted from Vince's very skin and dissipated in an instant.

"Is that all you've got?! Cause I bet I've got way more!!" He shouted, raising a fist at Talius. A hot flame swirled around his forearm. His arm snapped outwards, pointing at the Dishonored Pyromancer.

"Don't think I forgot about you..." He cracked his knuckles, tightened his grip around his focus, and started a menacing march towards him.

>Vince: Get closer to the Dishonored Pyromancer, preparing to absorb any fire magic the Pyromancer shoots out at myself or teammates.

"You want summa my fire, eh? You're about to get some."

>Vince: Once in range, unequip Blank Rod, use any absorbed power to blast into the air for a Blazing Somersault Kick.

No matter how fervently Saul prayed, the subtle voice of the divine never resounded in his thoughts as it always had before. A pall came over him, an onset of nerves. Never before had he felt so isolated, so alone...

He shook it off, centering himself in the here and now. Surely this was merely a test of his devotion, and that being the case, he wasn't truly alone - his faith was being tested. If he faltered in his courage, he would be failing his god and his order before a great many non-believers. That was something he couldn't do. Seeing the infidel sage swept aside despite her own black magics, Saul ran. As he did, he felt power sweep over him, and though it felt somewhat unfamiliar, he knew that it must be the divine favor he desired.

The paladin calmly assessed the situation. His sacred sword was broken, the holy relic once held within destroyed and even the fragments lost in his abrupt transport to this castle. But the armor he'd found, though no replacement for blessed plates of steel, was sturdy, and what remained of his weapon was stable enough to at least parry a series of attacks. That being the case...

"Greetings, infidel!" he shouted, stepping into the circle before the Gilded Champion. "A Paladin of the Order of Aethon Sol will be your opponent today. For your insolence, prepare to be smitten by the power of our lord Lucius Iros."

As he ran through the announcement of intent and glorification of his god he'd given many times before, Saul kept a close eye on the Gilded Champion. When the warrior rose to attack, the paladin stood his ground and slammed the hilt of his blade into the champion's sword. Forcing the path of the blade around him, Saul stepped forward - inside the champion's guard - and thrust his sword outward, aiming to lodge what was left of the sacred blade in the champion's chest.

Erika took note of all the others in her regiment calling for some divine help. Hmm, that was an option. Pulling her guitar closer she went through all her trials in her head that the Rock Goddess had helped her through. Her shitty parents. Bringing Rock Armada to the top and even gracing the land with their rule for a time. Dying, living, destroying wannabe's.

She opened her eyes, returning to the battle at hand. "Shit... this is a disgrace to the art of Entertainment and to all the entertainers everywhere." She spit on the ground. "What do you say we show this place what real entertainment is?"

Ask for the blessing of the Rock Goddess

Bran gathers summoned forth elemental power, sparks of electricity arcing across him and his tome as he gathers it...

Then, Bran focuses the electrical power into a frenzy above his head, and with a crack of thunder, casts Arcane Storm, bolts of streaking lightning fling themselves out toward the enemies! The errant energy causes most of the bolts to strike the ground, but those that don't strike Talius, Disheveled Gladiator B, Disgraced Knight A, Despairing Cleric B, and Dishonored Pyromancer for 112 damage each! Additionally, Despairing Cleric B is Stunned: he won't be able to perform any actions this turn except actions targeting himself! (+1 Adv)

Arthur measures his movement, quickly sidestepping those of Bran's bolts that land near him. One grazes his hip for 72 damage, but allows him to close the distance! With a swift wind-up, Arthur slams Bran in the throat, dealing 167 damage and Immobilizing him! All attacks targeting him will land this turn!

"Ahahaha, very good showing you two!" The Champion congratulates. "Using my gift to perform an attack hitting my own men is a low blow, however, so I'm certainly happy to see the Lion put you in your place tiny mage, ha!" He blatantly ignored Arthur's words as well, deciding him no longer worth listening to.

Arthur immediately takes a stand by Bran's side, bracing himself for further assaults. (+1 Adv)

Severa, focusing her divine blessing in her hands, hurls it at Saul! He can suddenly feel a divine power supporting his actions, empowering his purpose... though not quite the power of his own deity. Regardless, he gain's Ragnus' Blessing of Equal Might, and will now be able to match the power of any foe he combats! (+1 Adv)

Vince and the Dishonored Pyromancer, meanwhile, approach each other in menacing fashion. As Vince focused fire around his arm, the Pyromancer grinned, unwrapping the Charred Flame Strip around their hands and whipping it at their side, scorching fire rippling from the arcs it carves through the air.
"Heh, what, you want me to embarrass you that badly, kid? If you insist: I'm gonna enjoy burning that stupid look off your face. Now, let me show what I can do with my own fire!"
They pull back the whip, and a massive plume of flame erupts, snaking its way down the strip as the pyromancer lashes out at Vince with it, again and again! "Hah! Some pyro you are! Time to become nothin' but ash-- wait, what?"
But with a sudden movement, Vince catches the burning strip in his free hand! Flames are still coursing over it, and he's already taken 243 damage from the assault... but he's absorbed all the fire power! With a flick of his wrist, he disarms the Dishonored Pyromancer, leaving them in shock!
"Y-y-you were trying to get hit!? To absorb my own fire? But, but--!"
Vince blasts himself high into the air on a plume of fire, an explosion of flame surrounding him as he somersaults back toward the ground!
"No... no way! I was supposed to steal your fire! You--"
And with a BOOM, the kick collides, and the burning remains of the pyromancer slam into one of the Colosseum's walls! The Dishonored Pyromancer took 453 damage, instantly defeating them!! The crowd jumps to their feet, roaring at the spectacle!

Vince feels his body ache from the exertion... (-1 Adv)

ABILITY UNLOCKED! In his bold counter-attack, Vince's burning fighting spirit was truly unleashed! He realizes that the true source of his fiery power is his blunt force of will, its power growing when he discards things like restraint or logic! With this revelation, Vince has gained the Ability Veins of Fire! He may spend 100HP to increase any action by +1, or to increase the action's outcome by +10 power, and may do so up to 5 times per action!

Saul approaches the Gilded Champion, earning a laugh from the champ. "Are you really the best these people can do? A choir boy in some leather pads? And.. pffhaha, is that a broken sword!? Can you get a load of this guy, ladies and gentlemen?"
The crowd laughs, some even pointing at the broken weapon.
"And talking about infidels and strange dieties... y'know, if you manage to survive this fight, I might keep you around as a clown! I'll let you get gored by the bulls! Ha!"
The Gilded Champion steps forward confidently, raising his blade over his head as space begins to spin and churn...!
When suddenly, Saul slams the blade, forcing it off to his side-- the slice through space flies off to the side, striking the Colosseum itself!! It takes 1033 damage, as the crowd in the stands begins to panic, the attack just barely missing some of the onlookers! Saul then follows up, stepping into the champ's guard and plunging his broken blade into the champ's chest, dealing 974 damage thanks to the power of the Blessing of Equal Might!
The Gilded Champion looks up in horror, seeing their audience fleeing. "No, wait, come back! We haven't even gotten to the good part! Eerrgh, seal the doors!"

The panic of the crowd begins to turn to maniac alarm, as the entry and exitways of the Colosseum seal themselves shut! They're trapped inside!

"You bastard, you scared my audience," the champion says, not even a glimmer of pain in his eyes despite the blade plunged in his chest. "I'm gonna make you regret that." With surprising quickness, the Gilded Champion reaches forward and grabs Saul by the throat before he can retreat! Cocking his arm backward, he hurls Saul through the air, sending him flying several dozen feet into the air, before slicing across him with his space-rending blade!! Saul's focused mind manages to maneuver himself just in time to avoid a fatal blow, but receives a painful 1083 damage from the strike and subsequent landing!!! He's barely able to hold onto consciousness as his blood stains the stadium ground. Despite the flashy blow, no crowd cheers for the champ this time. "Everyone, please, sit back down!" (Saul: +1 Adv)

Erika fires off a killer guitar solo as she asks the Rock Goddess for her blessing: sure enough, the divine power of heavy metal courses through Erika's veins, as she feels her power surge! Erika gains the Blessing of the Rock Goddess -- for the next three turns, she may choose an additional target for any of her actions! (+1 Adv)

Russel charges forward once again, this time focusing his blade in on Disheveled Gladiators A and B. With a flurry of blows, he knocks aside their defenses and deals 236 damage to each! Disheveled Gladiator A and B are defeated!

"Defenders of Castle High, fight on!" he cheers, firing off a Morale Boost! All ally actions will have increased effectiveness next turn! (+2 Adv)

Emilia fires an explosive arrow at Dragonskull Colosseum, blowing up one of its support columns and dealing 766 damage! She then darts back to the small crater where Saul is bleeding out. "Holy crap, this is bad. Uhh, mm... stay with me, alright? This is gonna hurt, but it'll keep you alive." She grabs an arrow from her quiver and rips off the fletching, gaining a small, pointed feather. She then unravels some thread from her cloak and ties it around the feather. She then sticks the arrow shaft into Saul's mouth. "Take a deep breath and bite down now." With a quick breath of her own, Emilia makes quick moves as she gives Saul a series of makeshift stitches -- while painful, they slow the bleeding, and make movement at least somewhat feasible. Emilia heals Saul for 275 HP. "Sorry if that doesn't feel quite right. I've sewn up my sister's wounds before, but nothing so big as that. Here, let's get you standing..." she helped him to his feet, giving him an encouraging smile. "No worries, we'll all make it out of here." (+1 Adv)

The Gilded Champion looks upon this support action with disdain, drumming his fingers along his sword. "Hmph... I'd thought of telling Talius to finish that worm off, but this seems like a fitting drama." He throws out his hands, and a golden thread winds itself around Saul and Emilia's necks! They're locked in a Duel to the Death! "Now won't this be touching: will you kill each other, or let yourselves die? Hahaha, I'll at least enjoy this show!" (+1 Adv)
"Die in a hole and rot there!" Emilia spits back.

Disheveled Gladiator C and D rush for Russel, seeking revenge! He blocks the blade of one, only to suddenly find his leg ensnared by the other! Russel has been knocked Prone, and won't be able to perform melee actions next round!

Disgraced Knight A rushes for Bran, only to be blocked by Arthur! "Ergh, you again? Out of my way, filth!" The two clash blades once more, but this time, Arthur manages to hold his ground! Though unable to mount his own counter-attack, he parries the knight's strike--

"Hah, gotcha!" cries Disgraced Knight B, as she charges in from Arthur's blindspot, slashing into the Immobilized Bran with her Bastard Sword for 217 damage! She gives Arthur a shrug as she backs away, "gotta keep your eyes on the prize, old man!" (+1 Adv)

Despairing Cleric A looks down on his counterpart in alarm, quickly chanting a spell: Despairing Cleric B has been healed of their Stun and has regained 100 HP! (+1 Adv)

Despairing Cleric B gives his brother a sympathetic-but-frustrated look, shaking his head. With a sigh, he conjures a healing spell, restoring 100 HP to both Talius and Disgraced Knight A! (+1 Adv)

Talius raises his wand, a Churning Whirlpool forming that he sends Severa's way! The waves buffet her as she gets swept up in the attack, which proceeds to strike Russel, followed by Arthur! They all finally collide with Castle High itself! They each take 198 damage from their collision with the castle, dealing 594 damage to the castle itself at the same time!

Talius' Unending Assault triggers, allowing him to also fire a Churning Whirlpool at Yam! The whirlpool proceeds to scoop up Erika, but barely misses catching Bran. Yam and Erika are smashed into Castle High for 217 damage each, dealing 434 damage to the castle!

Castle High Forces:

CASTLE HIGH Lv. 11
HP 8162 / 11000

---

...Bran, for just a moment, lied down on the floor after the assault. He had never been so badly hurt before. First Arthur punched him in the throat, immobilizing him, and then he was stabbed in the gut with a bastard sword. His pain tolerance was short and he writhed in pain.

Then he got up.

“...I am so angry.”

Bran: Using a vine, disarm Talius and take the Surging Wand.

Arthur sputtered and coughed as he rolled back up to a low crouch-- having been winded and briefly assaulted with a lungful of water, his vision darkened... hhg. Wherever he'd been swept to, he lost sight of Bran. Poor boy was probably pissed to hell at him (heh), and the mercenary wasn't able to protect him from any additional damage in addition to what he had personally incurred-- but... he had his own agenda to take care of. They could manage those grievances later.

Gradually, he moved forward- silently- one step at a time, stride slowly growing stronger, faster, letting the energy return to his body. A Silver Lion, stalking through the chaos towards his one destination...

...and when he got close enough, he lept.

>Arthur: Taking advantage of the fact that the Gilded Champion is ignoring him, proceed quietly around the battlefield towards the circle of light... Then, when close enough, vault high off of the ground to strike the center of the circle with the tip of his sword pointed straight down-- devoting everything to shattering the floor of Dragonskull Colosseum itself!



"AAAAHAHAHAHA! Why didn't I think of this SOONER?!"

This was perfect! Erika felt great. The time to bring the house crashing down around them was now!

And then she stopped and looked around. Drawing on past experience, she took in the people around her. This is not something she could just strong-arm out herself. Everyone had a role to play. A thought flitted through her mind and she grimaced for a moment. Gross. No way. Never. Not that way. Not her way.

Erika could do this her own way. She took a deep breath. No speakers, no computers, no enhancements, just a guitar, a heart made of music, and a flare for entertaining.

It started quietly, barely anything at all. She began tapping her foot with a steady rhythm that sounded like a heartbeat. As she began to play, the tapping turned to stomping, the guitarist sending out her own basic drumbeat as hard as her foot could, hoping to draw the rest of Castle High who might have time or the ability to snap, clap, or stomp the rhythm with her, maybe even get the crowd involved if she could (Crowds love clapping along to things.). As she drew in a breath, a smirk crossed her face and she knew she had picked the right song. The lyric started at a simple speaking level.

"I wanna rock..." She took off at a half run, half dance toward Saul. She slid to a stop near him and gave a big grin to the crowd, continuing the song. She sent out a wave of sound meant for healing rather than destruction. Whether it worked or not, the rest of her brigade needed her and she gave him a grim nod and moonwalked her way back out toward Severa. When she got there she did the exact same thing, sending out a close proximity wave of healing.

Afterward she would move toward whoever looked the next worst off (Vince) in the hope that there was still enough energy left to prove useful for healing. She had to admit that enhanced speakers probably did have their place when it came to group healing. But hey, an on the road tour was pretty fun too, just not nearly as effective.

>Attempt to heal Saul, then Severa, then Vince by running around and playing Twisted Sister.

Vince looked upon the remains of the pyromancer he blasted into the next life. He shook his head. "Who's ash now, punk?" The charred flame strip coiled around his arm turning from a fiery orange to a hot purple as it seeped his flames. "Suits me better. Hehehe- ahh..." his aches caught up with him, and though he was sore for a moment , he pushed through it.

"Now for the water boy..." he slowly turned to face the enemy, his eyes alight with a violet flicker, a grin split his face as he spoke,  "I said, I bet I got way more than you." Vince uncoils the flame strip with a swing of his arm. The veins on his arms glow brightly and surge with power. As he swings the cord of fire, violet tendrils flared out and swirled along the strip. They sizzled, cracked, and hissed with wrath.

>Vince: Veins of Fire (Power) times Five, then unleash every ounce of fire on Talius in a single lashing.

> Saul: seeing Arthur's slow and deliberate maneuvering, slash at Emilia to force her to defend before approaching the Gilded Champion and his circle. At the last moment, step back and let Arthur step into the circle instead.

Bran, pulling himself back to his feet, feels a surge of rage as he conjures a vine from his tome! Talius has his Surging Wand raised over his head, conjuring another whirlpool... only to find the tool ripped away! He looks upon Bran with anger of his own as the mage catches the wand! Talius has been disarmed, and Bran has acquired the Surging Wand! (+1 Adv)

Training Mission Complete! Bran's experience wielding a wide array of elemental magic and power has given him insight into harnessing that power in a controlled way, giving him a new Technique! Bran gains the Technique Elemental Conduit: once per battle, Bran may perform a free action to charge up magic for an element readily available in the nearby area.

Severa imbues her tones and words with magic, as a Note of Relief settles upon her and Saul. They each feel their stamina being replenished, the pain of their injuries being lessened. Severa is healed for 298 HP, while Saul is healed for 212 HP! (+1 Adv)

Saul throws Emilia away and slashes at her with his broken blade! Due to his injuries, she's able to maneuver around him, stepping out of his short swing range and only taking 107 damage as the blade scrapes the top of her wrist.

Saul then turns, sauntering over toward the glowing circle once again. Russel sees this with a worried look, making a motion toward the Support Regiment behind them to be ready to advance. The Gilded Champion appears to be in disbelief, "No way, really? You're barely still standing, but you want to try and step in the ring again? Heheh, well choir boy, you've certainly got some brave stupidity. Don't you worry, though..." he holds his blade ready, "this time, I'll make sure you don't get back up. Ever." He puts out a mocking hand, "So come on, paladin! Serve your god and face m--"
He squints at something he sees in the reflection of his gauntlet, "What the hell is...?"

Suddenly, having launched himself off a piece of fallen rubble strewing the arena, Arthur lands smack dab in the center of the glowing circle, thrusting his blade directly into the ground!
"You crazed animal!" the Gilded Champion yells, panicked, his usual confidence vanishing, "Are you trying to kill us all!? You're--"

Fissures of deep red light shoot their way across the colosseum and beneath the feet of warriors on both sides of the conflict, as the ground begins to convulse and rumble. The sounds of yelling and movement begin to fill the air, but a moment, later, it happens: in massive broken chunks, the light fades into darkness, and the floor of the arena collapses, flecks of earth and stone bursting through the air as all the combatants tumble through the air!

Thankfully for most, directly beneath the arena are the tops of the cells that contain the colosseum's prisoners, which Regiment 1-31 finds themselves landing upon with relative safety. The attack collapsed the floor beneath the entire half of Dragonskull Colosseum that the group was facing, its outer walls crumbling and falling apart as the shockwaves continue! Dragonskull Colosseum suffers a massive 5043 damage!!!

"No... NO!" The Champion yells, back turned as he gazes at the destruction wrought. "Silver Lion... you despicable... loathsome..." he turns, and a sudden burst of golden energy surrounds him as he activates his Technique Gales of Combat: by burning an Advantage, he can take one of his actions during the Player Turn!!

With a burst of speed and power, the Gilded Champion lands directly in front of Arthur, malice shining through the slits in his helmet. "I'm disgusted I ever thought you fit to join my side. You call yourself a Lion, but I've lived long enough to see through your facade: you're nothing but a wounded mutt. Lashing out because you've worked yourself into a corner. I thought you could be an example of the power of the human spirit, but all I see before me is a husk." The champion raises his blade, then kicks out one of Arthur's legs with lightning speed, grabbing him by the throat while he's stunned. "I won't sully my holy blade with your filthy blood." He raises Arthur an inch higher, "No, instead, I'll let you die in the dark and shit, like the dog you are!"

With a mighty burst of power, the Gilded Champion hurls Arthur down into the cells below! He smashes clean through one cell, into another, then another, his ribs and bones breaking from the sheer impacts, until finally, he collides with the metallic septic tank the Champion had aimed for, punching a hole in it with his upper body and leaking the rancid contents upon himself. Arthur receives 912 damage, instantly Incapacitating him! As his consciousness fades, among all the pain, Arthur can feel a stabbing agony every time his breath comes in and out...

As a Support Regiment moves out to try and resuscitate him, the Gilded Champion laughs once more, a note of hysteria. "The rest of you shall soon join him! Once I've ground your castle into dust, I'll enjoy seeing you all mashed into paste and fed to my slaves! Ahahaha!!" (Arthur: 0 Adv, Saul: +1 Adv, Gilded Champion: -1 Adv)

Among the chaos and heat of the previous attack, the slow building of a rhythm begins to resonate through the ranks. Up above, the crowd quiets down and begins to join in, stomping and clapping along to the basic beat. Erika's performance begins as she moves between the ranks of the Regiment, building up hype and hope! With blasts of her music, Severa gains 164 HP, Saul gains 147 HP, and Vince gains 106 HP! The group is re-focused, the words of the Champion sliding away, and their purpose clear once more. (+1 Adv)

Vince lets entirely loose, tapping into the primal anger burning in his chest! He inflicts 500 damage to himself as he embraces the flame, bits of his own flesh burning away as the violet tendrils of fire billow and build!! Then, with one mighty action, he sends the whip straight down on Talius! The water mage attempts to conjure a defense, but is unable to do so quick enough without his wand, and is struck across the chest by the fire's full power! Talius receives 547 damage! He screams out in pain as the flames singe his body, but a sudden burst of wind surrounds him, his Robes of Wind dispelling the Burning effect he would otherwise receive. (+1 Adv)

Russel, knocked Prone, focuses as much energy as he can into his Sunsetter... the orange jewel at its hilt begins to glow brightly! Russel's Sunsetter gains Energy Imbued, allowing it to deal more damage next turn! (+1 Adv)

Emilia grimaces, still seeing the bad state state Saul is in... then, a flash of realization. She begins by aiming an arrow at one of Dragonskull Colosseum's support pillars still standing and fires! It only strikes the side of the column due to the poor angle, but still manages to deal 529 damage! She then takes out one of her Sleep Arrows, calls out, "Good luck beating this bastard everyone," and stabs herself in the neck with the arrow! It deals 112 damage! She then begins to draw one last arrow, training it on Saul's back... but before she can fire, she falls Asleep! (+1 Adv)

Disheveled Gladiator C and D engage Erika while she's still performing! Distracted, she's unable to avoid as the first gladiator smacks her in the side of the head with his trident, dealing 108 damage, nor as the second approaches from behind and slices the back of one of her calves with their blade, dealing 112 damage! (+1 Adv)

Disgraced Knight A yells as he strikes at Severa! They swing their blade down to cleave her, but her renewed strength lets her catch the strike on her weapon, deflecting it away with a spin--

and managing to react to the follow up attack of Disgraced Knight B shortly afterward! She sees the slash coming and guards it, but the knight recognizes her manuever and instead gives her a kick to the kneecap, dealing 134 damage! (+1 Adv)

Despairing Cleric A appears to be quietly panicking, seeing the sheer pain going on around them. Taking hold of his brother's hand tight, he raises his focus, healing Talius for 200 HP! (+1 Adv)

Despairing Cleric B, giving his brother's hand a squeeze of his own, calls for divine favor to fall upon the Champion: the Gilded Champion receives Holy Ward, reducing incoming damage taken by 20%! (+1 Adv)

Talius, having lost their wand, decides against trying to conjure his whirlpool. Instead, he focuses his power between his hands and fires a high-pressure jet of water at Castle High! It punches a hole straight through the castle, dealing 754 damage! His Unending Assault then allows him to turn the attack on Bran! He fires another jet of water, but with a flick of their new wand, Bran manages to dispel most of the attack, receiving only 74 damage. He calls out to the Champion, "Master, the castle! We must destroy it before the colosseum falls!" (+1 Adv)

The Gilded Champion shakes his head, still with giggles of hysterical laughter, "What are you talking about Talius? Dragonskull Colosseum will never fall! It and I are eternal! And it is the job of those who are eternal to punish any mortals who attempt to rise up! Ahahaha! Though I suppose you're right: without that castle, they will be at our mercy. It's only fair, since that mutt attacked my own castle -- fine, I'll cleave it right down the middle!"

Raising his blade, the Gilded Champion begins to glow, so bright it's painful to look at! Then, with one movement, he brings the blade straight down upon Castle High!!

Far away, Castle High's walls and towers begin to shake and crumble, a massive crack carved down its center!! One of the towers collapses into the courtyard below, crushing one of the medical tents, and the faint red glow of a budding fire begins to emanate! Castle High receives 3456 damage!!!

"Ahahahaha! Your time is swiftly coming to an end, wretches!"

"Hold fast!" You hear Russel yell, his posture rigid as he forces himself to keep his eyes on the battle, and not on the damage to their home behind him. "The Logistics Division and Reserves will take care of stopping that damage to the Castle from spreading. Right now, we need to deal with the enemies before us, and stand between him and the castle!"

"You talk such a game, commander... heh," the Gilded Champion points, and a golden thread winds between Severa and Russel. They're locked in a Duel to the Death! "Let's see you use that power you've gained there against your own ally!"

The Gilded Champion is exhausted from his efforts... (-2 Adv)

Castle High Forces:

CASTLE HIGH Lv. 11
HP 3952 / 11000

---

As the cord tightened around her neck, a voice erupted in her head from a thousand miles away.

"Kill kill^Kill kill kill!!! Kill them all! Kill kill_kill kill ^killKILL!"

She knew him. She knew who this was. Screaming in pure terror at a horror revived, Severa jumped and clamped her hands to her ears, muttering "Nononononono...", and as tears streamed down her cheeks, she slowly folded downwards, huddling in to a ball, weapon forgotten at her side. She had no power here - not if his voice could sound again.

With cursed memories raging through her mind, Severa became blank and unaware of her actions, Severa turned towards Russel and sang loud...

Severa: have a mental breakdown and cast Note of Pain on Russel & the Gilderoy Dumbhead