Chains of Argus • RP Thread

[The_man_with_the_Midas_touch]

"Nothing that I can tell you that you can't find in a basic biology textbook, sugar-plum..." Sylvia muttered, gently lowering her hand onto Siglos's head to softly pat it.

A soft smile stretched across Siglos's face, as the large, scarred hand patted his ashen hair. Gingerly, he scooted closer to her, leaning his head into her side.

"...I-I'll...v-visit the l-library b-before w-we leave then...I-I'm s-sure t-they'll have something in s-stock..." He said softly.

 

[azontr]

"Good. Trust me, books are usually a better teacher than most people..." Sylvia said, leaning back. "I'd know from experience."

 

[The_man_with_the_Midas_touch]

"Good. Trust me, books are usually a better teacher than most people..." Sylvia said, leaning back. "I'd know from experience."

"heh...I-I suppose so...m-my love..." Siglos murmured, snuggling against her as she leaned back.

"...O-once t-things die down...w-we should...visit a library together...l-like we did i-in the c-church. J-just...t-the...two o-of us..." Siglos said softly.

 

[azontr]

"I think I'd like that, darling..." Sylvia said with a smile, gently removing her hand from his head.

 

[ZoroNotZolo]

In a small inn within Aegis, there was a woman who had arrived a few days before the lockdown. She never spoke on her way in, communicating through sign language and other non-verbal means. It was a long distance she had traveled from, and she decided then would be as good a time as any to get some sleep.

Sleep. This was a concept that often eluded her, becoming something she didn't know she desired until the rare moments she actually falls asleep. It would only last for a few hours, then it would take about a year's time for her to feel the desire to close her eyes and rest.

When she woke up, the city was in lockdown. Confused as to why this was, she took the form of shadows to investigate. In this state, she wandered the city and overheard the cause of the commotion: the king was dead. She was disappointed that this was what she awoke from her rest to see, that she couldn't awake to see her surroundings still at peace. However, this also presented an opportunity, one to observe more human behavior. Following the shadow of a guard, she decided to see and observe how these particular humans would respond to a crisis like this.

 

[The_man_with_the_Midas_touch]

(Based Zoro character timeeeee)

"I think I'd like that, darling..." Sylvia said with a smile, gently removing her hand from his head.

Siglos smiled in return, continuing to pick at the meal Alexia had cooked him.

"...I-I...h-hope t-this d-doesn't sound strange...b-but...I h-had a dream a-about you... e-earlier." Siglos said softly, taking a bite of a strawberry.

 

[azontr]

In a small inn within Aegis, there was a woman who had arrived a few days before the lockdown. She never spoke on her way in, communicating through sign language and other non-verbal means. It was a long distance she had traveled from, and she decided then would be as good a time as any to get some sleep.

Sleep. This was a concept that often eluded her, becoming something she didn't know she desired until the rare moments she actually falls asleep. It would only last for a few hours, then it would take about a year's time for her to feel the desire to close her eyes and rest.

When she woke up, the city was in lockdown. Confused as to why this was, she took the form of shadows to investigate. In this state, she wandered the city and overheard the cause of the commotion: the king was dead. She was disappointed that this was what she awoke from her rest to see, that she couldn't awake to see her surroundings still at peace. However, this also presented an opportunity, one to observe more human behavior. Following the shadow of a guard, she decided to see and observe how these particular humans would respond to a crisis like this.

"Hey! You there! What do you think you're doing!?" Unfortunately for this soul, the guards of Aegis were more keen than she had anticipated, noticing her as she crept through the shadows and ordering that she reveal herself.

Siglos smiled in return, continuing to pick at the meal Alexia had cooked him.

"...I-I...h-hope t-this d-doesn't sound strange...b-but...I h-had a dream a-about you... e-earlier." Siglos said softly, taking a bite of a strawberry.

"A dream about me? What was it about?" Sylvia asked, looking down at Siglos.

 

[The_man_with_the_Midas_touch]

"A dream about me? What was it about?" Sylvia asked, looking down at Siglos.

"...W-well...." Siglos said. He hesitated, as if trying to sort out how much he should say.

"...W-we were...t-together. In...a... b-beautiful cottage in the wilderness. Some...f-forest clearing with a r-river a-at its side. The gentlest of breezes, flowing across our home..."

"...I-it was...j-just us. Y-you...i-in the kitchen...c-cooking a-a...b-bear you had hunted...m-me...c-coming home from a... b-business trip..." Siglos said softly. He blushed for a moment, his ears twitching ever so slightly.

"...I-it w-was...w-wonderful."

 

[azontr]

"...W-well...." Siglos said. He hesitated, as if trying to sort out how much he should say.

"...W-we were...t-together. In...a... b-beautiful cottage in the wilderness. Some...f-forest clearing with a r-river a-at its side. The gentlest of breezes, flowing across our home..."

"...I-it was...j-just us. Y-you...i-in the kitchen...c-cooking a-a...b-bear you had hunted...m-me...c-coming home from a... b-business trip..." Siglos said softly. He blushed for a moment, his ears twitching ever so slightly.

"...I-it w-was...w-wonderful."

"Oh. That sounds pretty nice." Sylvia said, looking up a bit. "Yknow, I wouldn't really mind living in a place like that, if it could fit me..."

 

[The_man_with_the_Midas_touch]

"Oh. That sounds pretty nice." Sylvia said, looking up a bit. "Yknow, I wouldn't really mind living in a place like that, if it could fit me..."

"...W-we'd make it f-fit, m-my love..." Siglos said softly. Gently, he reached a hand over to hers, wrapping his lithe fingers around her palm.

"...I-I'd make a h-house...o-one...s-so w-wonderful y-you could...l-live in it...r-regardless of how big y-you become..."

 

[ZoroNotZolo]

"Hey! You there! What do you think you're doing!?" Unfortunately for this soul, the guards of Aegis were more keen than she had anticipated, noticing her as she crept through the shadows and ordering that she reveal herself.

The woman took on her more corporeal form and pointed to the hat on her head as she raised her arms. Words began to etch themselves into it, reading, "I JUST WANT TO KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON."

She eyed the number of guards, and was taking into careful consideration whether she should flee or fight them all. It was also difficult to determine if they had light magic available on them, but she would need to consider that possibility as well. Whether she should kill them or merely incapacitate them was also something she was considering all in the moment she gave the response.

 

[azontr]

"...W-we'd make it f-fit, m-my love..." Siglos said softly. Gently, he reached a hand over to hers, wrapping his lithe fingers around her palm.

"...I-I'd make a h-house...o-one...s-so w-wonderful y-you could...l-live in it...r-regardless of how big y-you become..."

Sylvia blushed softly, letting out a chuckle.

"It'd probably take a lot of resources and time to build a house that big, Siglos... Like, a lot-" Sylvia froze up. Her nose began scrunching up, as if she'd smelt something... trashy.

"That smell... that... smelly smell... that smelly smell of smells... smells like... Dark Magic... ugh..."

The woman took on her more corporeal form and pointed to the hat on her head as she raised her arms. Words began to etch themselves into it, reading, "I JUST WANT TO KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON."

She eyed the number of guards, and was taking into careful consideration whether she should flee or fight them all. It was also difficult to determine if they had light magic available on them, but she would need to consider that possibility as well. Whether she should kill them or merely incapacitate them was also something she was considering all in the moment she gave the response.

"A Rakshashin, of flippin' course..." The guard that had apprehended her said, sighing. "Regardless of your intentions, it's against the law to tail an imperial officer like you just did."

Due to the lockdown, there were guards armed with various magical equipment trailing through nearly every nook and cranny of the streets, making sure that no spot was left unturned in the city. If she tried to fight them, with their heavy armor, as well as their numbers... It was very unlikely that she would succeed in an escape.

 

[The_man_with_the_Midas_touch]

Spoiler: Meanwhile, King Tiger...

David remained where he was for a long time, his muscles flexing and contracting with every movement as he pushed against the ground. Sweat dripped onto the soil below, the dirt slowly shifting to mud as the man worked.

He needed to become stronger. Much, much stronger. The events of the last fight constantly replayed themselves in his mind, the man gritting his teeth as he realized just how close he had come to losing the match.

Spoiler: King Tiger Vs The Monk

"THEN LET THE MATCH OF THE DAY...BEGIN!" The announcer shouted. A loud, sharp noise accompanied his declaration, the banging of a powerful instrument.

And with that....it began.

In a sudden burst of motion, King Tiger launched himself airborne, jumping several meters in a single bound. He did a flip, before forcefully kicking his legs downward, attempting to hit his opponent with a fierce, downward double kick. Law responded quickly, gracefully backstepping so that the muscular man's blow only stuck air. Before he could counterattack, however, King Tiger’s arm muscles bulged, the man landing on his hands on the ground before immediately launching himself into the air again, this time right toward his opponent. He shifted himself in mid-air, his feet stretched forward as he attempted to land a full-force drop kick against the monk. In response, the monk simply dodged at the last moment, sidestepping the attack the moment before it touched his skin.

"...He's wide open!" The monk thought. In the split second King Tiger’s body passed his own, mere milliseconds after he executed his dodge...he clenched his fist, his arm wrapping itself in a thin, yet potent layer of aura. Planting his feet solidly on the ground, he launched a quick punch toward the man, as he raced by him. Immediately, the blow had the intended effect, the muscular man's body loosening as he began to tumble into the air, falling on his back a few meters away.

"... Amateur..." The monk thought. It was over. A punch to the chin, combined with the added momentum of the man's own drop-kick, was a guaranteed knockout, the brain simply unable to withstand such a sudden jolt of force.

at least....that's what should have happened.

Gingerly, the helmeted man picked himself off the ground, rubbing his chin with his hand.

"That...******* smarts..." He muttered. The monk simply stared at the man as he stood to his feet, a brief burst of confusion spreading across his mind. It didn't matter how much the man had built up his muscles, he was still just a man. A blow of that caliber should have given him a concussion. Yet...he seemingly only escaped with a bruise. Yet, he hadn't used an aura either...

"...That bastard..." The monk muttered. There were only two possible explanations he could think of. Either he had mistimed the blow, something which had never happened in any of his years of fighting, or...

"...He shifted his chin at the last moment. The instant my fist connected, he must've moved his head in tandem with the blow, partially negating its force..." The monk thought. It was...a rather basic maneuver, in truth. But to do so with such timing...the man was clearly used to taking blows.

"...It seems he's more than just talk..." The monk thought to himself. Slowly, he returned to his stance, waiting for the man to recover.

It didn't take long.

Mere moments later, The King Tiger dashed towards him, feet leaving imprints on the ground with the force of his movements. His center of gravity was lowered, his arms outstretched. It was a tackle, an obvious one at that. It seemed subtly was not one of the muscular man's strong suits...

WHAM

The moment before the man's hands could wrap around his lower body, the monk raised his leg...before delivering a powerful roundhouse kick onto the man's head. His head bounced backward, recoiling from the sudden, intense blow...yet, he responded immediately. Clenching his fist, the muscular man immediately planted his feet on the ground, transitioning from his failed tackle into a powerful uppercut. Smooth as silk, the monk stepped backward, the fist missing him by mere inches. Slowly, he raised both hands....

POW

One hit, a left hook aimed at the man's liver. His aura pieced into the flesh like a knife, an agonizing amount of force slamming into the flesh organ within.

BAM

The second hit, a punch with his middle knuckle extended, aimed at the man's neck. His airway, completely cut off for a short, intense instant, any semblance of proper breath control.

SMASH

The third hit, a fierce kick, to the man's shin. It was a clean combination, one meant to disable a stronger opponent, before knocking them off balance in one, vicious instant, sending them writhing in pain on the floor. And he certainly would have succeeded against any average opponent.

And yet…

SLAM

The King Tiger planted his foot down, hard enough to leave a visible bootprint underneath his tread. He gasped for air, pain flaring from his injured flesh…and yet…

He did not kneel.

Clenching his fist, he launched a vicious left hook toward the man in front of him, the monk evading It by a hair with a lightning-quick backstep. Without skipping a beat, he raised his leg…

CRACK

In a vicious, absurdly fast gesture, one too quick for the audience to follow, he slammed his leg into the man’s ribs, the aura permeating to the flesh and rattling the bones below. King Tiger staggered, the man reeling from such an intense blow. Before he could counter however, the monk twisted on his heel, balancing his weight on the back of his foot as he spun to deliver another kick to the man’s temple, the impact rattling deep into his skull…and shaking the brain within.

“!!!!” King Tiger let out a ragged gasp, a wave of dizziness spreading across his body. And yet…The monk was not finished. As the muscular man was reeling from his last blow, he planted both feet on the ground. Slowly, he built up his aura around his palm, before…

BOOM

He SLAMMED his palm into the man’s ribs, the aura erupting from his strike in a manner akin to an explosion, enveloping both fighters in a shockwave of energy. An audible crack could be heard, the breaking of bone sounding out through the arena as King Tiger was launched several feet away, his back touching the ground for the second time since the fight began. His body lay in a crumpled heap…his eyes seemingly glazed over.


THAT WAS IT FOLKS! THE MONKS EXPLODING PALM HAS SENT HIS CHALLENGER CLEAN OFF HIS FEET! IT SEEMS THE KING TIGER IS NO MATCH FOR THE MONKS MASTERFUL MELEE!” The announcer shouted out. Noise erupted from the audience, cheers for the seemingly clear victor of the fight, and boos from people who had, regrettably, bet on the King Tiger. It was obvious in hindsight. The Mystical Monk had a much better record, and was clearly the better fighter. King Tiger may have snatched a few wins from some newcomers, and may have been lucky enough to beat a magical beast, but it’s clear that he was no match for a veteran fighter. As the staff moved to strike their instruments, announcing the round had been completed…something strange happened in the ring.

“….He’s like a cockroach…” Law muttered to himself, his eyes locked on the crumbled man a few yards away. Sure enough…he began to move. Slowly at first, but rapidly building up speed as he clawed at the ground below. In a few moments, he slammed both hands against the floor, his muscles bulging with exertion. With a mighty heave, he pushed himself airborne using arm strength alone, two, impossibly thick handprints imprinting themselves deep into the material below. He landed on his feet, his breath coming out a steady, even pants. Blood pooled in his mouth, the coppery taste staining his lips as it fell to the ground below. The damage was…quite obvious, yet…the man seemed to have no intention of throwing in the towel.

The Announcer…paused, His eyes staring down at the man with visible confusion.

“Erm…The…THE KING TIGER HAS…miraculously…STOOD BACK TO HIS FEET! THE MATCH IS STILL ON FOLKS!” He said. Though he scarcely believed it himself. The Exploding Palm was the technique the Monk always used to knock out his opponents. Most men who took it head-on were put into a coma…or worse. By all rights he should be carried out on a stretcher…and yet…


“YA HERE THAT?? THE KING TIGER’S STILL STANDING!!” The man shouted out from the arena floor, knocking the announcer from his thoughts. For some odd reason…the injured man flexed, striking a pose as if he wasn’t the one being pummeled. Noise erupted from the audience in response, a mixture of cheers, boos and jeers falling at the feet of the injured man below.

Law watched the spectacle, growing bored of the man’s constant antics.

“…You’d make for a good training dummy, I’ll give you that.” Law said. Slowly, he got into his stance again, gradually tensing his muscles.

“…I’ll hit you until you break.”

King Tiger flashed him a smirk, raising a tanned arm before slapping it against his chest.

“Give it ya best, bastard.” He said. With trembling legs, he lowered his center of gravity, ignoring the sharp, sudden pain that erupted from his left side with the movement. Slowly he breathed out, his hands outstretched, assuming his stance.

In the next instant, the Monk dashed forward, crossing the gap between them in a single breath. In the same instant, he coated his hand with aura before….

POW

A powerful straight, launched towards King Tiger’s nose, impacting the bone just above his mouth. It was a clean hit, fast enough that it shouldn’t have left him open to counterattack. Yet…the moment his fist connected…A pain shot through his entire arm, as if the man had struck the hardest of material. He flinched, his arm quickly retracting…yet, for a brief moment, he hesitated.

And that brief moment, was all King Tiger needed. He lifted an arm, stepping his lead leg forward…before…

POW

he slugged the man with all of his strength, his arm muscles bulging as he launched a single, soul-shattering punch. The monk staggered, gritting his teeth as the fist impacted his chest. Without skipping a beat, however, King Tiger clenched his right fist, delivering another powerful blow to the man’s chest.

And another, and another, and another.

They were full-body blows, ones thrown using nothing but muscle strength alone. They weren’t nearly as damaging as they look but….

“T-the hell?!” Law thought. He attempted to throw up his guard, attempted to dodge the attacks yet…he couldn’t. Each blow was akin to a wave crashing onto his body, throwing off his center of balance with every hit. Even Law, someone who could balance all of his weight with nothing but a single toe, could scarcely regain his footing as he was showered with blow after blow.

They were push punches, blows King Tiger used to stun rather than damage. Effectively a series of close-fisted shoves that couldn’t be negated by conventional tactics. The trick was actually extremely basic, something even a playground bully could come up with. The man called King Tiger couldn’t hope to develop any more advanced techniques. But…it didn’t matter.

Muscle strength closed the gap. Even a basic application of strength can prove effective, with enough explosive muscle power behind it. But…such a trick would only work for an instant against such a skillful foe. Only a few moments after the barrage of punches began, the monk twisted his body towards the ground, letting himself fall back onto the ground below, dodging the last punch mere millimeters before it could land against his body. Placing a hand upon the ground as he landed, he spun on his palms before:

CRACK

a fierce kick landed against King Tigers' jaw, amplified by the torque of his sudden spin. the familiar crack of broken bone echoed across the arena…

Yet it wasn’t the King Tiger’s bone that had shattered.

The monk let out a sharp, exhale of breath, his heel erupting in sudden, searing pain, quickly, he rolled onto his back, before jumping to his feet, gritting his teeth as his weight settled upon the cracked bone. King Tiger took a step back, a visible bruise beginning to form on the area he had been kicked.

“…You…bastard…” The Monk thought. He had figured it out. Figured out why he had hurt his fist with his last punch, and why his heel had shattered after kicking him.

At the last moment, the instant before he had been struck, he had covered his chin in an absurdly thick layer of aura, while simultaneously slamming his own body into the blow. The result was akin to if he had struck a sturdy hammer in motion, his body breaking under the weight of the sudden, unexpected force. It was simple. An absurdly simple trick in theory, any novice could shield themselves with their aura…but…why would he let himself be attacked so often in the match, with that type of counter? Was he simply holding back? Or….

Was it that he couldn’t?


The monk gritted his teeth, his fists clenched until the white of his knuckles flashed beneath the skin. It didn’t matter. The fool had broken his heel…and he would pay dearly for it. He took a slow breath, calming his nerves. If he couldn’t strike the man normally… he would simply rely on his aura to do the damage. His Exploding Palm was a powerful technique, but to use it at full power, he would need to expend a massive amount of aura, just as he had done with his initial strike. He would need to lower it’s output, enough to still pierce through the man’s impossibly muscular hide while conserving his own stamina. The King Tiger may be hardy…

but he wasn’t invulnerable.

Only a mere instant after he had gotten to his feet, he rushed back towards the muscular man, his movements notably slower than before. Unclenching his fist, he unleashed a vicious palm strike onto the man’s chest, accompanied by the familiar Boom of his aura exploding against the man’s chest. King Tiger responded in kind, slamming his fist against the man’s side the same instant his palm had connected, both fighters stumbling backward from the respective impacts.

BOOM

POW

BOOM

POW

In a flurry of blows, the two fighters exchanged fists and palm strikes, blood flowing from bruised flesh as the two fighters wailed on eachother. These were no push punches, not anymore, the King Tiger throwing all of his weight into driving as much force as he could into the other man’s body. The Monk had the clear lead in blows, his palm connecting time and time again…

But exchanging blows was King Tiger’s forte. And thus…for the second time in the fight…

The Mystical Monk was being overwhelmed. With one last, powerful strike, he gathered up all of his remaining aura, attempting to finish the muscular man off in one burst. The moment before he could launch the attack, however…two muscular hands arms wrapped around his waist.


“….What?” The Monk thought.

In an instant, he was lifted upward, the muscular man throwing all of his strength into one single, soul-shattering throw. He arched his back, bending his knees…

Before SLAMMING the monk onto the ground, the ground cracking apart and breaking as the sound of flesh against cobblestone echoed across the land.

A front suplex, its strength amplified by their combined weight, King Tiger’s own, explosive muscle power, and gravity itself….

An unavoidable concussion.


“…I-impossible…” The Monk thought. He stared upward, his broken body twitching and writhing, as if attempting to stand to his feet. King Tiger simply collapsed onto his knees, staring down at his opponent.

“…Your…really damn strong, ya know that?” The man muttered. The Monk said nothing, glaring into the man’s gaze until he mercifully lost consciousness.

The announcer stared down at the two fighters…dumbfounded. For a few moments, he went silent, before grabbing the magic orb, and putting it to his mouth.

“WHAT AN UPSET! THE KING TIGER HAS MANAGED TO WETHER THE MONK'S BARRAGE OF TECHNIQUES, SNATCHING VICTORY FROM HIS GRASP!” The Announcer roared. The audience echoed his excitement, cheers erupting from the stands as the injured fighter slowly got to his feet…raising a single fist in the air.

David breathed out, another, burst of pain erupting from his ribs as he moved his sore muscles. If he hadn't figured out the man's pattern, hadn't understood his movements just enough to use his Aura against his kick...he would have lost. Guaranteed. The monk's speed and footwork far surpassed his own, it would have been child's play for him to outmaneuver him until he was too injured to stand. He had to count himself lucky, then. Lucky he had performed the one move he had prepared to counter, lucky that the man underestimated him enough to give him time to figure out the pattern of his blows. Prediction wasn't a skill David excelled at, heck...he would be unable to achieve what even the average knight could, in terms of predictive ability alone. but...he worked with what he could. Instead of reading movements, breathing, timing, or rhythm..he read damage. Every strike he took...he imprinted into his mind. His bruises, tracing a picture of the opponent's skill and might. He would take this knowledge...and work with it. Slowly but surely figuring out their patterns, places they usually liked to target, the speed and force of their attacks....anything he could derive from the strikes as they broke his bones and ended his flesh. People sometimes mock his inclination towards fighting shirtless, deriding it as the mark of a fool....

But such a strategy could only be performed if he felt the force against his own flesh. The man's tactics perfectly built to make use of his armorless body to its greatest extent.

Of course...such a strategy would be useless if it wasn't for David's body. Muscles, akin to tempered steel, built upon hours and hours of extensive, maddening training. A neck, thick and muscular, warding off knock-out blows even as they hammered against his skull. A torso, tough and firm, protecting the fragile organs within. You could say he had crafted a body designed for taking blows, with the muscular endurance to power through the damage without pause.

Another burst of pain erupted from David's side, causing the man's teeth to clench.

"....Doesn't that hurt?"

He could hear the strange boy's words in his mind, echoing across his brain as he began to resume his workouts.

"...Yeah...it hurts like hell..." The man muttered to himself.

He continued his training, watching as the sun slowly began to set on the horizon.

Spoiler: Side story stuff

As the sun begins to set across the land...David slowly got to his feet, sweat pouring from his thick, tanned flesh. He breathed heavily, the dull ache of his injuries becoming a searing pain he could no longer ignore.

"....****....he got me better than I thought..." David muttered. Immediately, he regretted it, his jaw aching with every word, a consequence of taking the brunt of several of the man's blows. He raised a hand to his chin, massaging the flesh for a few moments. He had...planned to get in some shadowboxing before he turned in for the day....but his creaking bones made him realize his body may crumble if he moved it for much longer. He could hold himself together with his muscle control, ensuring he wouldn't collapse outright...but that was a temporary solution.

"...Damn it..." He thought. Slowly, he grabbed his helmet from his feet, before stumbling out of the forest, moving in the direction of the same city Yu had entered. As he approached its outskirts...he straightened, his limp becoming a proper walk as he forced himself to hide just how injured his body had become.

(The Time-scale for the side story is different than the rest of the thread, so don't be confused, yall)

Sylvia blushed softly, letting out a chuckle.

"It'd probably take a lot of resources and time to build a house that big, Siglos... Like, a lot-" Sylvia froze up. Her nose began scrunching up, as if she'd smelt something... trashy.

"That smell... that... smelly smell... that smelly smell of smells... smells like... Dark Magic... ugh..."

Siglos cocked his head, looking up at Sylvia.

"...D-do y-you think i-it's someone w-we know? Alexia d-did say s-she could...s-sense d-dark mana from J-Jeanne...." Siglos said softly.

 

[azontr]

Spoiler: Side story stuff

As the sun begins to set across the land...David slowly got to his feet, sweat pouring from his thick, tanned flesh. He breathed heavily, the dull ache of his injuries becoming a searing pain he could no longer ignore.

"....****....he got me better than I thought..." David muttered. Immediately, he regretted it, his jaw aching with every word, a consequence of taking the brunt of several of the man's blows. He raised a hand to his chin, massaging the flesh for a few moments. He had...planned to get in some shadowboxing before he turned in for the day....but his creaking bones made him realize his body may crumble if he moved it for much longer. He could hold himself together with his muscle control, ensuring he wouldn't collapse outright...but that was a temporary solution.

"...Damn it..." He thought. Slowly, he grabbed his helmet from his feet, before stumbling out of the forest, moving in the direction of the same city Yu had entered. As he approached its outskirts...he straightened, his limp becoming a proper walk as he forced himself to hide just how injured his body had become.

(The Time-scale for the side story is different than the rest of the thread, so don't be confused, yall)

As David entered the city, it was, as usual, bustling like no other city in the country. Talk of last night's amazing battle was plentiful within the streets, and the people awaited the sun to rise so they could claim their seats to watch the next spectacle at the grand colosseum:

"I wonder if Yu is gonna fight again tonight! D-Do you think he'd give me his autograph?!"

"Don't be silly! He's clearly to busy to be messing with common folk like us!"

"Mommy, mommy, can I go see the Thunder of Darkness fight again? Pleeeeeaaaase?"

Siglos cocked his head, looking up at Sylvia.

"...D-do y-you think i-it's someone w-we know? Alexia d-did say s-she could...s-sense d-dark mana from J-Jeanne...." Siglos said softly.

"It's... it's... ugh..." Sylvia let out a sigh, shaking her head.

"It's nothing, darling. I'm just... being a bit to paranoid. For all I know it could just be Jeanne like you said, or Cain or Erebus..."

 

[The_man_with_the_Midas_touch]

As David entered the city, it was, as usual, bustling like no other city in the country. Talk of last night's amazing battle was plentiful within the streets, and the people awaited the sun to rise so they could claim their seats to watch the next spectacle at the grand colosseum:

"I wonder if Yu is gonna fight again tonight! D-Do you think he'd give me his autograph?!"

"Don't be silly! He's clearly to busy to be messing with common folk like us!"

"Mommy, mommy, can I go see the Thunder of Darkness fight again? Pleeeeeaaaase?"

"...Oh, Yu found a match for himself...? Good for him..." David thought tiredly, attempting, and only partially succeeding, in not stumbling as he moved to the nearest apothecary.

"......"

"........................."

"Wait what..." David muttered. He froze, his mind fully processing what he had heard. That scrawny, skin-and-bones kid he had met earlier had fought in the arena?

"...Thunder of Darkness....Thunder of Darkness...?!" David muttered. Not only were they NOT talking about his, what he would describe as, rather epic, match with the monk from earlier, but Yu had apparently done well enough that people actually wanted to see him fight?

"....?????" David rubbed his chin, trying to understand what was going on.

"...Naw...it has to be a different Yu, right? That kid back there didn't even look like he could throw a punch. Besides, he just started training recently. Ain't no way a dude like that can get a match on such short notice...not without being creamed, anyway." David thought. As he approached the doors of the potion shop, he poked his head inside, flashing a warm smile.

"...Hey, you guys still open?" He asked, attempting to push the thought to the back of his mind. It was probably some warrior he'd never heard about until now, anyway. Who... coincidently...had the same name as the kid he just met...

It's... it's... ugh..." Sylvia let out a sigh, shaking her head.

"It's nothing, darling. I'm just... being a bit to paranoid. For all I know it could just be Jeanne like you said, or Cain or Erebus..."

Siglos rested a hand on her side, slowly nodding.

"...I-it's...a-alright m-my love. I'm s-sure...i-it's...nothing t-to worry about..." Siglos said softly.

"...I-if it w-was t-the assassins...t-they w-would...p-probably h-have masked t-there s-scent, r-right? I-it would h-have been...h-harder to detect them..."

 

[azontr]

"...Oh, Yu found a match for himself...? Good for him..." David thought tiredly, attempting, and only partially succeeding, in not stumbling as he moved to the nearest apothecary.

"......"

"........................."

"Wait what..." David muttered. He froze, his mind fully processing what he had heard. That scrawny, skin-and-bones kid he had met earlier had fought in the arena?

"...Thunder of Darkness....Thunder of Darkness...?!" David muttered. Not only were they NOT talking about his, what he would describe as, rather epic, match with the monk from earlier, but Yu had apparently done well enough that people actually wanted to see him fight?

"....?????" David rubbed his chin, trying to understand what was going on.

"...Naw...it has to be a different Yu, right? That kid back there didn't even look like he could throw a punch. Besides, he just started training recently. Ain't no way a dude like that can get a match on such short notice...not without being creamed, anyway." David thought. As he approached the doors of the potion shop, he poked his head inside, flashing a warm smile.

"...Hey, you guys still open?" He asked, attempting to push the thought to the back of his mind. It was probably some warrior he'd never heard about until now, anyway. Who... coincidently...had the same name as the kid he just met...

"Sorry, just closing up now." The shopkeep said, closing the door behind him as he turned the "open" sign to "closed".

Siglos rested a hand on her side, slowly nodding.

"...I-it's...a-alright m-my love. I'm s-sure...i-it's...nothing t-to worry about..." Siglos said softly.

"...I-if it w-was t-the assassins...t-they w-would...p-probably h-have masked t-there s-scent, r-right? I-it would h-have been...h-harder to detect them..."

"Yeah... Probably..." Sylvia said with a sigh.

"I'm just... I'm stressed out, honey. What if they attack... in a place that I can't protect you...?" She muttered.

 

[The_man_with_the_Midas_touch]

"Sorry, just closing up now." The shopkeep said, closing the door behind him as he turned the "open" sign to "closed".

"......." David stared at the shopkeep for a moment, before breathing out.

"Hey, I'm...pretty banged up, alright? If ya got any healing potions left, I'll pay extra for the trouble." He said.

"...Won an arena match earlier today, ya know I'm good for the money."

Yeah... Probably..." Sylvia said with a sigh.

"I'm just... I'm stressed out, honey. What if they attack... in a place that I can't protect you...?" She muttered.

Siglos said nothing for a moment, cuddling closer to Sylvia as they sat together.

"...I-I...a-asked Cain...t-to...p-protect m-me...b-before I w-went to bed..." Siglos said softly.

"...I...d-do not t-think...s-she would g-go back on h-her word. B-between t-the two of you...I...I'll b-be safe...m-my love..."

 

[azontr]

"......." David stared at the shopkeep for a moment, before breathing out.

"Hey, I'm...pretty banged up, alright? If ya got any healing potions left, I'll pay extra for the trouble." He said.

"...Won an arena match earlier today, ya know I'm good for the money."

"Huh......... Alright, alright." The man said, opening his doors once more with a sigh.

"You're that... King Tiger, right?"

Siglos said nothing for a moment, cuddling closer to Sylvia as they sat together.

"...I-I...a-asked Cain...t-to...p-protect m-me...b-before I w-went to bed..." Siglos said softly.

"...I...d-do not t-think...s-she would g-go back on h-her word. B-between t-the two of you...I...I'll b-be safe...m-my love..."

"We can't know that, Siglos..." Sylvia muttered, "We can't just... assume we'll be strong enough. I can't... I can't **** up like that... and then lose Cain... or lose you... I just... I can't..."

 

[ZoroNotZolo]

"A Rakshashin, of flippin' course..." The guard that had apprehended her said, sighing. "Regardless of your intentions, it's against the law to tail an imperial officer like you just did."

Due to the lockdown, there were guards armed with various magical equipment trailing through nearly every nook and cranny of the streets, making sure that no spot was left unturned in the city. If she tried to fight them, with their heavy armor, as well as their numbers... It was very unlikely that she would succeed in an escape.

Figured out that quickly? She was actually impressed, and her facial expression showed as much. Then again, she did kind of give him the answer, and her impressed expression swiftly faded. However, she still had to find a way to get out of the situation. The last thing she would want after having a good rest would be to be arrested.

The Rakshashin would have to come up with something on the fly, getting a gauge of all the shadows that were around her to see where she could go to get out of this situation, or at least make it slightly more advantageous for her. She noticed the building nearest to her, but would also be keeping eye contact with the guard.

(What time of day is it?)

 

[azontr]

(What time of day is it?)

(Late morning to afternoon, though I'd sincerely note that fleeing from the police is probably not a very good idea.)

 

[ZoroNotZolo]

(Dang. If only it was nighttime...)

The Rakshashin rolled her eyes after seeing the sheer magnitude of forces they had at their disposal and decided to comply. At least, for now...

 

[KingEzran]

(Anything big I missed?)

 

[azontr]

(Anything big I missed?)

(Zoro's OC is getting arrested for crimes against God.)

 

[KingEzran]

(Zoro's OC is getting arrested for crimes against God.)

(Ayo when'd he even get here? Are we still in Aegis?)

 

[azontr]

(Ayo when'd he even get here? Are we still in Aegis?)

(Scroll upward Broski and use your READING skills.)

 

[KingEzran]

(Yeah, but like, idk the last thing I read so it might be pages, and at that point it would just straight up be more convenient for all of us if you said it. lol)

 

[ZoroNotZolo]

(Scroll upward Broski and use your READING skills.)

(He doesn't have those. He's a Dragon Ball fan.)

 

[KingEzran]

(Aight so, last thing I read was Shalor and Noah talking to Saffi in the inn)

 

[azontr]

(Moai. Anyway, nothing much has happened since Saffi last spoke, it hasn't even been a page iirc, Siglos woke up from [NOT SAFE FOR WORK], had some breakfast, talked to Jeanne, and is currently having a mini biology lesson with Sylvia about Rakshashin while Zoro's OC gets arrested for being a filthy heathen.)

 

[DaReaperMan]

(Aight so, last thing I read was Shalor and Noah talking to Saffi in the inn)

(They still are)

 

[Oliver_de_jesus]

(They still are)

(so, @KingEzran can Saffi exist?)

 

[The_man_with_the_Midas_touch]

"Huh......... Alright, alright." The man said, opening his doors once more with a sigh.

"You're that... King Tiger, right?"

David smiled, rubbing a hand against the back of his neck as he stepped into the shop.

"...In the flesh! Did ya catch the match?" he asked.

"We can't know that, Siglos..." Sylvia muttered, "We can't just... assume we'll be strong enough. I can't... I can't **** up like that... and then lose Cain... or lose you... I just... I can't..."

Siglos slowly wrapped Sylvia's arm into a hug, his flesh trembling ever so slightly against hers.

"...A-and you won't...m-my love. W-we'll get t-through this..." He said softly.

"...I promise y-you..."

 

[azontr]

David smiled, rubbing a hand against the back of his neck as he stepped into the shop.

"...In the flesh! Did ya catch the match?" he asked.

"No no, I couldn't possibly afford a ticket to such a match... I've only heard about it in passing." The shopkeep said, rummaging through his stock and pulling out two pink-colored healing potions contained in thick glass.

Siglos slowly wrapped Sylvia's arm into a hug, his flesh trembling ever so slightly against hers.

"...A-and you won't...m-my love. W-we'll get t-through this..." He said softly.

"...I promise y-you..."

Sylvia let out a breath, before slowly nodding her head.

"Alright... I'll... thank you. I'll try and believe that."

The Rakshashin rolled her eyes after seeing the sheer magnitude of forces they had at their disposal and decided to comply. At least, for now...

She was swiftly escorted to the containment center that was as close as possible, which was your typical prison, the bars that barred off the inmates being enchanted with thick layers of Magic that would shock whoever tried to forcefully break out, should they lack the magical capacity.

 

[The_man_with_the_Midas_touch]

"No no, I couldn't possibly afford a ticket to such a match... I've only heard about it in passing." The shopkeep said, rummaging through his stock and pulling out two pink-colored healing potions contained in thick glass.

"Ay, I get it man. They chargin' an arm and a leg for some of those fights." David nodding at the man, thought he was, inwardly, a bit disappointed. He rummaged into a pocket of his pants, pulling out a thick bag coins, opening it a bit, he poured out a few dozen, returning the rest to his pocket.

"This alright? Added a few extra for the trouble, after hours and all that." He said.

Sylvia let out a breath, before slowly nodding her head.

"Alright... I'll... thank you. I'll try and believe that."

Siglos squeezed, his hug tightening around Sylvia ever so slightly.

"...I-I mean i-it Sylvia. N-no....n-no m-matter...w-what happens. I will...n-never...leave you. I..s-still n-need t-to make t-that c-cottage...a-afterall..." He said softly, a small smile growing across his face. The words weren't just for her, the soft, trembling of his body revealed the Everian's own fear, but...he desperately hoped he could keep his promise.

 

[azontr]

"Ay, I get it man. They chargin' an arm and a leg for some of those fights." David nodding at the man, thought he was, inwardly, a bit disappointed. He rummaged into a pocket of his pants, pulling out a thick bag coins, opening it a bit, he poured out a few dozen, returning the rest to his pocket.

"This alright? Added a few extra for the trouble, after hours and all that." He said.

"Eh, just take 'em for free. Nowadays healing potions can be outdone by those proficient in healing magic. No need to charge at this point..." The shopkeep said.

Siglos squeezed, his hug tightening around Sylvia ever so slightly.

"...I-I mean i-it Sylvia. N-no....n-no m-matter...w-what happens. I will...n-never...leave you. I..s-still n-need t-to make t-that c-cottage...a-afterall..." He said softly, a small smile growing across his face. The words weren't just for her, the soft, trembling of his body revealed the Everian's own fear, but...he desperately hoped he could keep his promise.

Sylvia let out the tiniest of chuckles, before releasing a deep sigh into the air. She nodded her head, "Thank you, my love... I'll know to be expecting that cottage, then."

 

[ZoroNotZolo]

She was swiftly escorted to the containment center that was as close as possible, which was your typical prison, the bars that barred off the inmates being enchanted with thick layers of Magic that would shock whoever tried to forcefully break out, should they lack the magical capacity.

The Rakshashin looked at where she was being contained. She stretched out her horns to try and reach through the bars to potentially find a mechanism to unlock the door. What she received was, quite literally, a painful shock in return. Perhaps she could break out. It would hurt a lot, but she could get out. It was now only a matter of timing when it would be best to do so.

 

[The_man_with_the_Midas_touch]

"Eh, just take 'em for free. Nowadays healing potions can be outdone by those proficient in healing magic. No need to charge at this point..." The shopkeep said.

"Ay, a man gotta make a living anyhow. Take it, for accommodatin' me if nothing else." He said. He placed the coins on the counter, snatching up one of the healing potions the shopkeep had brought out.

Sylvia let out the tiniest of chuckles, before releasing a deep sigh into the air. She nodded her head, "Thank you, my love... I'll know to be expecting that cottage, then."

Siglos's smile widened ever so slightly, the Everian gingerly letting go of her arm.

"...Good, m-my love....t-thank you." He said softly.

 

[azontr]

The Rakshashin looked at where she was being contained. She stretched out her horns to try and reach through the bars to potentially find a mechanism to unlock the door. What she received was, quite literally, a painful shock in return. Perhaps she could break out. It would hurt a lot, but she could get out. It was now only a matter of timing when it would be best to do so.

The amount of guards around her cell were scarce... Clearly they had been dealing with other things and couldn't look over a petty criminal constantly.

"Ay, a man gotta make a living anyhow. Take it, for accommodatin' me if nothing else." He said. He placed the coins on the counter, snatching up one of the healing potions the shopkeep had brought out.

"Hah... Whatever you say, young man." The shopkeep said, scooping the coins into his purse.

Siglos's smile widened ever so slightly, the Everian gingerly letting go of her arm.

"...Good, m-my love....t-thank you." He said softly.

Sylvia let out a breath, her muscles gently relaxing as she just... closed her eyes, letting the gentle breeze of the season waft against her to calm her nerves.

 

[KingEzran]

"What kind of Magic or are you one of those people who likes all kinds of magic?"

(Didn't see this, mb)

"I suppose you could say I'm the latter." Saffi said. "Mysticism has existed for centuries and to this day we have no idea of its outer limits. It's definitely rather intriguing."

 

[Oliver_de_jesus]

(Didn't see this, mb)

"I suppose you could say I'm the latter." Saffi said. "Mysticism has existed for centuries and to this day we have no idea of its outer limits. It's definitely rather intriguing."

"Cool, maybe I'll learn some extra tricks and spell but it's not like I'm a go book eater, no offense"