Sixth Trial

[letsplayamod]

That will be enough. Enter the arena, now.

[Typhon sounds almost reserved now. His tone no less commanding, he knows you'll need to enter the arena eventually. And, when you do arrive, he's already waiting. Emerged halfway out of the rift to watch you're approach

The wounds accrued in last week's shitshow have been healing, but marks remain. What you did - what Omega did - ate away at parts of him that Typhon is still growing back. At first, he's silent, tentacles of teeth gnashing over his shoulders, bellying a rage.]

Look at you all, a pantheon that shrinks day by day. This is the godly burden Athena has forced upon you. And if she were here, able to...

[He catches himself.]

This... is certain to be an exciting trial, I'm sure. Begin, if you can. I shall be watching intently.

[TRIAL START]

[Evidence]

Comments

[murchada]

...Eru?

[well. who is she to deny a cat uppies? if nothing else, she can keep him safe during all of this. she will pick up the kitty.]

Hey, come here. [wait. does...] Can you... hear that?

[yourheroine]

Myaaa!

[Eru purrs a little when Cerejeira picks him up, as if joining in with the humming. He closes his eyes in Cerejeira's arms...

...and a firefly lands on his nose.]

[letsplayamod]

[You would not believe your eyes, such a small sight in the middle of this fight. So easily missed, but that just makes what happens next all the more staggering.

The ground beneath the arena starts to tremor. A shaking not unlike each time Typhon would open the veins of Tartarus. Only this time, it's different. This moves. The soft rumbling from the mainland turning more and more until it's under your feet.

The ground starts to split... and the roots of a tree begin to sprout from the earth. Large and curling and gnarled, they twist around to form a dome in the middle of the arena...]

[fillets]

My goodness. Is that...?

[ and like, I guess she could tell anyway, but where's the fun in that? I'm commenting for scanlation dialogue and scanlation dialogue alone! ]

[murchada]

[she literally does not even dare comment, she is just holding onto Eru like that's gonna save everyone--]

[yourheroine]

[Somehow, Eru is fast asleep while this giant tree is growing.

As if he's all out of energy.]

1/2

[letsplayamod]

[ As the roots shield the group from harm the fireflies start to move away from Cerejeira and coalesce in the space in front of her. The light starts to flicker, before growing bright and forming-- ]

2/2

[brokenhabit]

[ Lebkuchen, who stands there in her physical form, still glowing gold from head to toe. The light is brightest at top in a halo like aura, and at the bottom...

...the dreaded red shoes usually only in her Golden Maiden form. ]

Is everyone all right?!

1/2

[murchada]

2/2

[murchada]

[she doesn't speak, she's just-- she was going to throw her arms around Lebkuchen, but she's still holding the cat, so she's just kind of awkwardly bumping up against her instead, Eru and all.]

You're... You're back...!

[brokenhabit]

[ That's fine Cerejeira if your arms are too full, because Lebkuchen is wrapping her arms around you instead. ]

I'm sorry, I must have worried you an awful lot...

But you're all right, yes?

[stringup]

[ Look. As an Exalted, on some level she has to approve of the cavalry arriving with such aplomb. ]

Lebkuchen!

[brokenhabit]

Velvet!

Sorry, I was a little late waking up it seems...

[literarybehemoth]

...

I appreciate the stylish entrance.

[it's very cool...]

[brokenhabit]

Oh, you think it's stylish?

Thank you very much!

[raisethemoon]

Ah! Lebkuchen! How marvelous to see thee again!

[ Is this like when an alicorn's mane changes from ordinary to ethereal? What an exciting milestone! ]

1/2

[brokenhabit]

Miss Luna! It's good to see you as well! As well as everyone el--

2/2

[brokenhabit]

[ And then she freezes, as if suddenly realizing who's missing. ]

[fillets]

Oh, what a marvelous entrance! And what a relief to see I was right...

[ someone with emotions can tell her, riful isn't saying SHIT ]

[brokenhabit]

Oh, thank you! [ She even does a little curtsy and everything!! ] Right about what though?

[sweetsynergy]

[Even in her furor, the spectacle of all this catches Vanity's attention. Her eyes dart around the field for a second as she parses what happened, and- Leb's back. Alone.]

[That's. Fine.]

[taintedfayth]

[...

As Seymour stands there and watches the others all greet Lebkuchen with joy and relief and love, that TV static effect from before returns, and Anima begins to flicker, little motes of light beginning to emerge from her to drift upwards and dissipate into the air.

A summoner's aeon is called forth and maintained by their mental link with it. It takes an iron will and determination and focus in order to maintain that presence during battle, and it is this that causes the majority of would-be summoners to ultimately fail in their quest to become one, not any sort of physical demands. A summoner whose mind is not strong enough - is in disarray - cannot hold their summon.

Never before has Seymour struggled with resolve. But now? In direct contrast to how the fireflies had coalesced into Lebkuchen's form just a moment ago, Anima's grotesque form begins to separate into a cloud of softly shimmering lights, floating and then at last fading away like meteors burning out.]

[sweetsynergy]

[oh and down she go again, this is fine]

[stringup]

Sure, this may as well happen.

[ They're already wrangling a chained up summon and trying to lay the smack down on Seymour, a tree suddenly growing is the least of their worries right now. ]

[pariunt]

[Astarion has been so busy talking to Seymour he didn't notice the tree until the roots started appearing, uh.]