Chains of Argus • RP Thread

[azontr]

Siglos's eyes were fixed intently on the piece of leather on the ground before him, the Everian seeming to...carve something into the material, a half-finished, intricate pattern covering his work, the image of a shining sun displayed vibrantly on its center. The leather itself was hard, clearly the hide of some type of magical beast as opposed to any normal material. Normally, it would be uncuttable to someone as weak as Siglos, if it weren't for the array of magical tools on his side, enchanting specifically for this very task.

He didn't notice Jeanne until she approached, too engrossed in his work to sense her presence until she spoke. His eyes widened as he looked up at her, a shaky smile spreading across his lips.

"O-oh! Hello Jeanne!" He said softly.

"...I-it's...g-going well, I t-think. I...s-should be finished soon."

Jeanne awkwardly chuckled, "Sorry for interrupting your work... I just needed something to occupy myself with."

 

[Oliver_de_jesus]

"A-all right..." Shalor responded, still having reservations about taking a part of Noah's weapon

¨What else do you want to do Shalor?¨ Noah said to see if her partner had an interesting idea.

 

[DaReaperMan]

¨What else do you want to do Shalor?¨ Noah said to see if her partner had an interesting idea.

"Well, I wanted to learn how to really use Chi..." Shalor murmured

 

[Oliver_de_jesus]

"Well, I wanted to learn how to really use Chi..." Shalor murmured

"Well that's a pretty good topic that will probably also help Jeanne if she comes to train Qi control"

 

[The_man_with_the_Midas_touch]

Jeanne awkwardly chuckled, "Sorry for interrupting your work... I just needed something to occupy myself with."

Siglos stared at her for a moment, before nodding.

“…W-well…y-you can a-always t-talk to m-me, Jeanne, I-if you’re f-feeling r-restless or…b-bored” He said softly. He pushed his tools to closer to himself, making room for her to sit if she wished.

 

[azontr]

Jeanne breathed out, sitting down next to Siglos, crossing her armored legs. "There's not much to talk about that I think would particularly interest you, Siglos... I mostly just came to watch you work."

 

[The_man_with_the_Midas_touch]

Siglos continued to carve into the leather as he listened, the rays of a sun taking shape underneath his skillful hands. He nodded at Jeanne words, though he did not meet the girl's gaze.

“Y-you c-can…t-talk about anything, J-Jeanne. I…l-like to l-listen to people…” He said softly. He moved his hand again, tracing the design of another ray of light for the elaborate pattern.

 

[azontr]

Jeanne merely chuckled lightly, keeping her voice down as to not disturb his work. "I... suppose you're better than me in that aspect, Siglos. Listening to others is... difficult, when you've got so much on your mind. At least for me."

 

[DaReaperMan]

"Well that's a pretty good topic that will probably also help Jeanne if she comes to train Qi control"

"She already is trained some, but I also need training..." Shalor murmured

 

[The_man_with_the_Midas_touch]

Jeanne merely chuckled lightly, keeping her voice down as to not disturb his work. "I... suppose you're better than me in that aspect, Siglos. Listening to others is... difficult, when you've got so much on your mind. At least for me."

Siglos slowly flattened the leather on the ground again, his lithe hands running across the engraving. He seemed…calmer than usual, his breathing soft, and even.

“…S-speak y-your mind then, J-Jeanne. I-it m-might help…e-ease your burden.” He murmured.

 

[Backbackback]

Erebus was instantly met with a counter-kick right to his face once more, Sylvia's seamless control of her muscles allowing her to easy control her own momentum and make downright physically impossible movements.

As the kick landed, Erebus didn't cate about the pain and strikes her back with the same speed and strength, now adapting to her much faster.

 

[azontr]

Siglos slowly flattened the leather on the ground again, his lithe hands running across the engraving. He seemed…calmer than usual, his breathing soft, and even.

“…S-speak y-your mind then, J-Jeanne. I-it m-might help…e-ease your burden.” He murmured.

Jeanne breathed out, just looking down at the ground. She raised her armored hand gently, energy gently rising from her right hand, like a mist... Crimson in color, it was, as it began to take shape. Swiftly, the energy formed into a miniature creature, a glowing, crimson rabbit, the thing resting in Jeanne's steel-covered hand.

"I am simply... restless, Siglos. Impossibly restless." She muttered. Gently, the creature would hop away from Jeanne's hand and into the air itself, trailing around its creator's hand and down her arm, leaving a gentle, crimson dust in its wake. She smiled at the small thing, watching as it happily bounced through the air.

 

[azontr]

As the kick landed, Erebus didn't cate about the pain and strikes her back with the same speed and strength, now adapting to her much faster.

Sylvia easily dodged the attack, using Erebus's assumedly still lowered position to hop over his attack, sending the man flying past her due to his own momentum.

 

[The_man_with_the_Midas_touch]

Jeanne breathed out, just looking down at the ground. She raised her armored hand gently, energy gently rising from her right hand, like a mist... Crimson in color, it was, as it began to take shape. Swiftly, the energy formed into a miniature creature, a glowing, crimson rabbit, the thing resting in Jeanne's steel-covered hand.

"I am simply... restless, Siglos. Impossibly restless." She muttered. Gently, the creature would hop away from Jeanne's hand and into the air itself, trailing around its creator's hand and down her arm, leaving a gentle, crimson dust in its wake. She smiled at the small thing, watching as it happily bounced through the air.

Siglos gingerly lifted the leather to his face, the engravings seeming to sparkle in the mana-infused light of the ground below. He studied it for a moment, before slowly putting it back down, carving out new patterns and shapes.

“I-is it about…y-your condition?” He asked softly. His ears twitched as he mentioned it, the Everian pausing his work for a brief moment, before continuing.

 

[azontr]

Siglos gingerly lifted the leather to his face, the engravings seeming to sparkle in the mana-infused light of the ground below. He studied it for a moment, before slowly putting it back down, carving out new patterns and shapes.

“I-is it about…y-your condition?” He asked softly. His ears twitched as he mentioned it, the Everian pausing his work for a brief moment, before continuing.

Jeanne breathed out, the rabbit ceased its hopping as it set itself once again in her palm. The thing stretched out, as if it was yawning, before gently curling up in her hand, putting itself to "sleep". Softly, she clasped her hand, the creature gently dissipating.

"Not just that... I am simply contemplating a lot. After the High King's supposed assassination, I cannot help but think about our next move constantly..."

 

[The_man_with_the_Midas_touch]

Jeanne breathed out, the rabbit ceased its hopping as it set itself once again in her palm. The thing stretched out, as if it was yawning, before gently curling up in her hand, putting itself to "sleep". Softly, she clasped her hand, the creature gently dissipating.

"Not just that... I am simply contemplating a lot. After the High King's supposed assassination, I cannot help but think about our next move constantly..."

Siglos slowly nodded, the gesture accompanied by the soft scratch of his tools against the leather.

“T-that’s…understandable, J-Jeanne…” Siglos said softly.

“W-with the…c-city locked d-down…w-we…c-can’t r-really do much e-else b-but plan, c-can we…”

 

[azontr]

Siglos slowly nodded, the gesture accompanied by the soft scratch of his tools against the leather.

“T-that’s…understandable, J-Jeanne…” Siglos said softly.

“W-with the…c-city locked d-down…w-we…c-can’t r-really do much e-else b-but plan, c-can we…”

"Not like we can do much... I doubt the Court Mage trusts a group of randoms to help her make any administrative decisions in the King's absence." Jeanne said, holding back the urge to sigh.

 

[The_man_with_the_Midas_touch]

"Not like we can do much... I doubt the Court Mage trusts a group of randoms to help her make any administrative decisions in the King's absence." Jeanne said, holding back the urge to sigh.

Siglos slowly lowered his tool to the ground, before raising his hand. Trace amounts of mana begin to pour from his fingertips, coating the engraved leather with his magic.

“I-I…assume t-that doesn’t…e-ease your nerves…?” Siglos said softly.

"...T-the C-court mage w-working w-without us...I m-mean..."

 

[azontr]

Siglos slowly lowered his tool to the ground, before raising his hand. Trace amounts of mana begin to pour from his fingertips, coating the engraved leather with his magic.

“I-I…assume t-that doesn’t…e-ease your nerves…?” Siglos said softly.

"...T-the C-court mage w-working w-without us...I m-mean..."

Jeanne narrowed her eyes, before simply nodding at Siglos's statement.

"I don't necessarily trust this city's executives to make the right calls in this situation... But then again, I doubt any of them would trust me to make the right calls either..."

 

[The_man_with_the_Midas_touch]

Jeanne narrowed her eyes, before simply nodding at Siglos's statement.

"I don't necessarily trust this city's executives to make the right calls in this situation... But then again, I doubt any of them would trust me to make the right calls either..."

"....." Siglos paused for a moment, before shaking his head.

"...H-have y-you...tried c-contacting Velen? I...c-can find a c-communication device for y-you if...t-talking to him would..." He trailed off, his ears twitching.

"...S-soothe your nerves..."

 

[azontr]

"....." Siglos paused for a moment, before shaking his head.

"...H-have y-you...tried c-contacting Velen? I...c-can find a c-communication device for y-you if...t-talking to him would..." He trailed off, his ears twitching.

"...S-soothe your nerves..."

"....I don't think I should be contacting one of the most important people on the planet to simply... soothe my nerves, Siglos. I don't think my nerves are something he should be worrying about." Jeanne said, trying not to trail off herself.

 

[The_man_with_the_Midas_touch]

"....I don't think I should be contacting one of the most important people on the planet to simply... soothe my nerves, Siglos. I don't think my nerves are something he should be worrying about." Jeanne said, trying not to trail off herself.

"W-well...h-he should be i-informed o-of the s-situation, don't you think?" Siglos said softly. He went back to his work, slowly pouring another layer of mana onto the leather.

"...W-we...a-are employed b-by him, a-after all. S-should a c-complication like this a-arise...I'm sure he would...f-find it prudent, to...i-inform him..." He said softly.

 

[azontr]

"W-well...h-he should be i-informed o-of the s-situation, don't you think?" Siglos said softly. He went back to his work, slowly pouring another layer of mana onto the leather.

"...W-we...a-are employed b-by him, a-after all. S-should a c-complication like this a-arise...I'm sure he would...f-find it prudent, to...i-inform him..." He said softly.

Jeanne said nothing for a few moments, before simply nodding her head. "I suppose you are right that... he should be informed of this..." She said softly, before simply rubbing the bridge of her nose with her left hand.

"I suppose I just... never thought to ask him for assistance, or inform him, given everything going on..."

 

[The_man_with_the_Midas_touch]

Jeanne said nothing for a few moments, before simply nodding her head. "I suppose you are right that... he should be informed of this..." She said softly, before simply rubbing the bridge of her nose with her left hand.

"I suppose I just... never thought to ask him for assistance, or inform him, given everything going on..."

"...T-that's...u-understandable Jeanne." Siglos said, nodding to himself. He finished pouring his mana onto the leather, slowly beginning to form it into the shape of a sheath.

"...B-but...i-i'm sure...V-Velen a-assistance c-could...e-ease the u-uncertainty."

 

[azontr]

"I..." Jeanne shook her head, "I suppose I can contact him when the sun rises... And when I've... gotten some sleep. Sleep I haven't gotten in... several, several days..."

 

[The_man_with_the_Midas_touch]

"I..." Jeanne shook her head, "I suppose I can contact him when the sun rises... And when I've... gotten some sleep. Sleep I haven't gotten in... several, several days..."

Siglos continued to fiddle with the leather, the slab of material, picturing in his mind how to mold it in such a way that it would easily fit Jeanne's sword.

"...I-is...s-something k-keeping y-you awake...?" Siglos said softly.

 

[azontr]

Siglos continued to fiddle with the leather, the slab of material, picturing in his mind how to mold it in such a way that it would easily fit Jeanne's sword.

"...I-is...s-something k-keeping y-you awake...?" Siglos said softly.

Jeanne froze for a moment as she opened her mouth, only air coming out, and no words. She choked on her words for a few moments, before letting out a shaky breath, finally beginning to speak.

"...I've been having this... dream. Every time I try to sleep." She muttered.

 

[The_man_with_the_Midas_touch]

For the first time...Siglos turned to face Jeanne, gingerly setting the leather onto the ground in front of him. He said nothing for a moment, his ears twitching.

"...W-what kind of d-dream, Jeanne...?" Siglos said softly.

 

[Backbackback]

Sylvia easily dodged the attack, using Erebus's assumedly still lowered position to hop over his attack, sending the man flying past her due to his own momentum.

As he flew past her, he leaped back by bouncing on the wall, attaching a harpoon to pull her closer, and spun around vertically to maintain momentum.

 

[azontr]

For the first time...Siglos turned to face Jeanne, gingerly setting the leather onto the ground in front of him. He said nothing for a moment, his ears twitching.

"...W-what kind of d-dream, Jeanne...?" Siglos said softly.

"...."

"...I..." Jeanne trembled as she tried to get the words out, clenching her fists. She wanted to describe it, but it was as if she didn't want to at the same time, the girl mustering up all her courage as she continued to speak, letting out a soft, trembling breath.

"I... see a bed of ashes. A seemingly endless bed of ashes." She murmured, "I'm... laying there, chained down. I struggle, trying to break free from the chains, but... they just get tighter. And tighter, and tighter, and tighter... Until I can barely breathe..."

"...And then... fire. It..." She muttered, her trembling beginning to intensify into violent shivering as she spoke.

"Fire spews from the bed of ashes... Scarlet fire... Crimson... f-fire... It covers me in the blade. Instantly, I feel my muscles contract. I become unable to breathe at all, and I... I thrash." She said, her eyes widening as she imagined it. How... vivid, it all was.

"But the chains tighten. So I thrash more, and they tighten again... Crushing me. The flames continue to burn me... burn me from the inside out, and... the pain. It's painful. I can feel pain. In a dream, Siglos. I feel like I'm burning alive, chained to the ground... Like I'm being eaten from the inside out by the inferno...."

"...And then I wake up. When it's all done." She muttered.

"....And I've become... ashes."

As he flew past her, he leaped back by bouncing on the wall, attaching a harpoon to pull her closer, and spun around vertically to maintain momentum.

Sylvia effortlessly dodged the harpoon and simply grabbed it, tearing it from the rope and simply allowing Erebus to tumble towards her as she gripped his own weapon.

 

[Backbackback]

"...."

"...I..." Jeanne trembled as she tried to get the words out, clenching her fists. She wanted to describe it, but it was as if she didn't want to at the same time, the girl mustering up all her courage as she continued to speak, letting out a soft, trembling breath.

"I... see a bed of ashes. A seemingly endless bed of ashes." She murmured, "I'm... laying there, chained down. I struggle, trying to break free from the chains, but... they just get tighter. And tighter, and tighter, and tighter... Until I can barely breathe..."

"...And then... fire. It..." She muttered, her trembling beginning to intensify into violent shivering as she spoke.

"Fire spews from the bed of ashes... Scarlet fire... Crimson... f-fire... It covers me in the blade. Instantly, I feel my muscles contract. I become unable to breathe at all, and I... I thrash." She said, her eyes widening as she imagined it. How... vivid, it all was.

"But the chains tighten. So I thrash more, and they tighten again... Crushing me. The flames continue to burn me... burn me from the inside out, and... the pain. It's painful. I can feel pain. In a dream, Siglos. I feel like I'm burning alive, chained to the ground... Like I'm being eaten from the inside out by the inferno...."

"...And then I wake up. When it's all done." She muttered.

"....And I've become... ashes."

Sylvia effortlessly dodged the harpoon and simply grabbed it, tearing it from the rope and simply allowing Erebus to tumble towards her as she gripped his own weapon.

Erebus dodges her grip, fires a cannon as a mean for distraction, and swung the sword flat side up, sending a powerful gust of wind to knock her back.

 

[azontr]

Erebus dodges her grip, fires a cannon as a mean for distraction, and swung the sword flat side up, sending a powerful gust of wind to knock her back.

(...How do you dodge someone gripping something? That doesn't make any sense lmao.)

 

[Backbackback]

(...How do you dodge someone gripping something? That doesn't make any sense lmao.)

(Erebus moved it before she gripped it)

 

[azontr]

(Erebus moved it before she gripped it)

(Oh cause I was confused for a second lmao.)

Sylvia was quick in flicking her wrist towards the moving harpoon the moment Erebus made his counter, grabbing it once again. Before Erebus could counter-attack, though, she launched the thing, flinging the harpoon towards Erebus's explosion and canceling it out recognizing it as a mere distraction.

While doing this, though, she was hit by Erebus's gust of wind... But it didn't do much. Sure, she was pushed back, but not knocked down. Her sense of balance and her absurd core strength made it so that the wind gust did nothing to truly immobilize her, merely pushing her back and leaving a few moments of lapse in her next attack, leaving her open for a mere half moment.

 

[Backbackback]

(Oh cause I was confused for a second lmao.)

Sylvia was quick in flicking her wrist towards the moving harpoon the moment Erebus made his counter, grabbing it once again. Before Erebus could counter-attack, though, she launched the thing, flinging the harpoon towards Erebus's explosion and canceling it out recognizing it as a mere distraction.

While doing this, though, she was hit by Erebus's gust of wind... But it didn't do much. Sure, she was pushed back, but not knocked down. Her sense of balance and her absurd core strength made it so that the wind gust did nothing to truly immobilize her, merely pushing her back and leaving a few moments of lapse in her next attack, leaving her open for a mere half moment.

Sylvia manages to fling him towards the explosion, but by the time she landed, he was gone once again.

Without delay, he swung his sword towards her.

Erebus has been used to disappearing and appearing in fights as if he wasn't there, to begin with. Now knowing almost everything on his arsenal won't work, he thinks about using "it" as a means to even power through her, despite this being simple training. He wasn't a special Rakshashin, not even of royalty.

 

[The_man_with_the_Midas_touch]

"...."

"...I..." Jeanne trembled as she tried to get the words out, clenching her fists. She wanted to describe it, but it was as if she didn't want to at the same time, the girl mustering up all her courage as she continued to speak, letting out a soft, trembling breath.

"I... see a bed of ashes. A seemingly endless bed of ashes." She murmured, "I'm... laying there, chained down. I struggle, trying to break free from the chains, but... they just get tighter. And tighter, and tighter, and tighter... Until I can barely breathe..."

"...And then... fire. It..." She muttered, her trembling beginning to intensify into violent shivering as she spoke.

"Fire spews from the bed of ashes... Scarlet fire... Crimson... f-fire... It covers me in the blade. Instantly, I feel my muscles contract. I become unable to breathe at all, and I... I thrash." She said, her eyes widening as she imagined it. How... vivid, it all was.

"But the chains tighten. So I thrash more, and they tighten again... Crushing me. The flames continue to burn me... burn me from the inside out, and... the pain. It's painful. I can feel pain. In a dream, Siglos. I feel like I'm burning alive, chained to the ground... Like I'm being eaten from the inside out by the inferno...."

"...And then I wake up. When it's all done." She muttered.

"....And I've become... ashes."

Siglos's face paled, his hand slowly beginning to tremble as he listened to Jeanne's words.

"...By Ophelius..." Siglos murmured.

"...I...I-I...I-i'm s-sorry J-Jeanne. I...I d-didn't...I...I...c-couldn't..." Siglos trailed off, the man beginning to ramble. He quickly reached forward, wrapping Jeanne into a...somewhat awkward hug.

 

[azontr]

Sylvia manages to fling him towards the explosion, but by the time she landed, he was gone once again.

Without delay, he swung his sword towards her.

Erebus has been used to disappearing and appearing in fights as if he wasn't there, to begin with. Now knowing almost everything on his arsenal won't work, he thinks about using "it" as a means to even power through her, despite this being simple training. He wasn't a special Rakshashin, not even of royalty.

Sylvia looked at the sword as it came hurdling towards her. Dodge? Would be easy, but would it get her anywhere? They'd been exchanging blows and attacks for so long she doubted that continuing such an exchange would bear any fruit. Block it? Maybe, but a bit harder. She wouldn't be able to conventionally heal a wound dealt by that blade, she'd long knew that, but... the risks didn't truly outweigh the rewards.

...

Sylvia raised her hand, allowing Erebus's blade to slice through it... But not completely. The moment his blade went between her fingers, cutting into her hand down to her wrist, her muscles tightened exponentially, trapping the sword within her unconventional grip. In an instant, she pulled Erebus towards her using his own sword, pulling him directly into her fist. Either he'd take the attack... or abandon his weapon.

 

[azontr]

Siglos's face paled, his hand slowly beginning to tremble as he listened to Jeanne's words.

"...By Ophelius..." Siglos murmured.

"...I...I-I...I-i'm s-sorry J-Jeanne. I...I d-didn't...I...I...c-couldn't..." Siglos trailed off, the man beginning to ramble. He quickly reached forward, wrapping Jeanne into a...somewhat awkward hug.

Jeanne's eyes widened as Siglos hugged her, the girl not knowing how to respond. "I... I... Th-Thank y-you... S-Siglos..." She whispered, not knowing if she should return the hug.

 

[Backbackback]

Sylvia looked at the sword as it came hurdling towards her. Dodge? Would be easy, but would it get her anywhere? They'd been exchanging blows and attacks for so long she doubted that continuing such an exchange would bear any fruit. Block it? Maybe, but a bit harder. She wouldn't be able to conventionally heal a wound dealt by that blade, she'd long knew that, but... the risks didn't truly outweigh the rewards.

...

Sylvia raised her hand, allowing Erebus's blade to slice through it... But not completely. The moment his blade went between her fingers, cutting into her hand down to her wrist, her muscles tightened exponentially, trapping the sword within her unconventional grip. In an instant, she pulled Erebus towards her using his own sword, pulling him directly into her fist. Either he'd take the attack... or abandon his weapon.

Erebus thought about her strength and how she kept avoiding the cannon. The attack would "hurt" him, but the armor would patch him up. He took the attack, but not without at the cost of the one who'd attack him. He prepares to contend her fist with his mechanical arm, protruding multiple spikes from his armor to increase its lethality. And in one moment, his false arm collapses, revealing the cannon, going straight for her. At the same time, summoned black chains using Magic to reinforce the broken harpoon, grabbing the sword if she dodges or takes the gambit.

 

[azontr]

Erebus thought about her strength and how she kept avoiding the cannon. The attack would "hurt" him, but the armor would patch him up. He took the attack, but not without at the cost of the one who'd attack him. He prepares to contend her fist with his mechanical arm, protruding multiple spikes from his armor to increase its lethality. And in one moment, his false arm collapses, revealing the cannon, going straight for her. At the same time, summoned black chains using Magic to reinforce the broken harpoon, grabbing the sword if she dodges or takes the gambit.

Sylvia instantly analyzed every attack coming towards her, predicting their trajectory and immediately making a plan to dodge. Doing this in turn, as Erebus intended, forced Sylvia to release her grip of his sword as the woman moved backward after dodging the attacks, her hand having been split down the middle all the way to her wrist, and to top it off, her other hand had been pierced by Erebus's armor. Now, the other wounds, she healed instantly, but her split hand was a... different issue entirely. It didn't hurt, but it wasn't healing, and blood was pouring from the wound at an alarming rate.

"Damn..." She thought to herself, wrapping solidified darkness around her wounded hand, stopping the bleeding immediately as she artificially held her hand together due to not being able to properly regenerate it.