A bad time...

[Deleted]

Maria Myata Kazeraikou, her minty mane flowing slightly in the breeze, turned her eyes to the heavens. A dark rain seemed to follow her, and yet she remained dry. It wasn't raining. That was just the impression given by her gloomy disposition. As always she remained alone. People here had quickly learned better than to linger near to the girl, plagued by spirits of despair and misfortune they could not see. But she could. Not that she could do anything about them. If she slashed with the sword at her left hip, Vendemaire, it slid through as if they were never there. If she tried to ward them off with the buckler on her arm, it did not dissuade them. Similarly were they immune to her gauntlets and greaves, immune to the ammunition fired from the crossbow swinging from her right hip.

Her goggles with all their enhancements could not register their presence, nor would they block the beam of light projected by her flashlight. One would assume them a hallucination, yet certainly they were there - egging her on, demanding she inflict her misery on others, never allowing her to rest until she gave in to their demands. She knew they were there, because they could have a physical impact on the world itself. They brought ruination to all they touched.

What a terrible night to have a curse...

---

JiMmIyZ - Hel

[JiMmIyZ - Hel]

A Touch of Death

From all around her the shadows of the night would begin to sway back and forth. A new sense of presence was felt before the young girl, one unlike the creatures that haunted her, this one would seem much more oppressive. Much more final. From the darkness waves of blue light, blue energy, would flow like fog encroaching on Myata's location. This light would cut through the night and illuminate by means of extrasensory device. Circling her form, Myata would realise a form dancing in the shadows, as if hindered by this light. Her hair was tied in a high bun, black and white in colour it featured heavy jewel balls through its length. She wore a baby blue, high collar tunic with navy blue trim and no sleeves, and a mini skirt of a different shade of blue above a pair of high length boots with colours matching her tunic. On her wrists were the 'Wristwraps of Infinite Hope,' tightened to her appendages very tightly. These wraps gave her the ability to shape the departed souls of humans and guide them to their afterlife, she had made these wraps herself from the soft bark of the Life Tree.

The woman danced in the shadows edging closer and closer to Myata but she would not touch the light of blue. "My Dear human, so troubled by the Y'la whose existence only the Citeus, God of Life, can manipulate. Won't you hear my generous offer?" She continued to spin and swirl in the shadows as if carefree but her dance would portray a dreadful amount of sorrow. Such a performance, it was a eulogy for those departed. Myata would be trapped, helpless in this performance as the woman continued to dance in careful circles. "I am Cildir, Goddess of the Afterlife. I beg of you, please help me. I have been thrust into a tournament to decide the King of Gods and I am in need of a human representative. If you accept my request you will be plunged into battle and you will need to fight for your life. Win this battle and I will bless upon you riches however win or lose, if you act as my Champion I will ensure your afterlife free of torment of Y'la, I will ensure you pleasure's of all kinds. I will not forget the service you would have done for me." Her feet continued to move and Myata would remain helpless before the Goddess, Cildir, and her limbs would betray her and keep her stood in place.

When the time came, all men were powerless against death. Only words could escape the tormented one but very few.

---

Myata is suffering from the helpless condition:

Helpless

[Deleted]

...

She wasn't dead yet. She was sure of it. But this beautiful creature who appeared before her could not be of this world - only the next. Simply gazing upon her filled Myata at once with swelling hope and deep melancholy. The spirits that writhed about the Kazeraikou had a much more unilateral reaction, more primal. Fear. This was a creature beyond even their existence. The woman, the goddess, kept her distance though, dancing - literally - at the very edge between light and shadow. Perhaps there was a limit to how much she could manifest herself?

It wasn't important. She'd made up her mind the moment Cildir appeared before her, when she thought the embrace of death which she had simultaneously searched for and railed against had found her at last. The spirits did not approve. To hell with them. Cildir was far more powerful than them, evidenced by the way they stayed as far away as able.

"I don't need riches. I don't need to prove myself against anyone but myself. But for freedom? From the wraiths that stalk my every move, from the dark fate of Jashin? I'll fight for you, Cildir." She gave wry smile. This could very well be the end she strode toward at last, figuratively speaking. Literally, she actually found herself incapable of moving as she attempted to extend a hand in...not friendship, as it was impossible to truly be friends with a being so utterly beyond anything on this realm of existence, but perhaps...camaraderie. "With a little bad luck we may even win.

[JiMmIyZ - Hel]

A Vanishing Shadow

As the words of acceptance escaped her lips the dancing woman would turn to smoke in the shadows and disappear from sight with a parting word. "Man at times run away from the fact, that sometimes death is the only freedom." Gone, the clouds above her head would open in a dazzling display of light as a ship protruded beneath them and her body would once again become light, movable with a booming voice echoing overhead. "Human, chosen as acolyte of the Goddess Cildir, Goddess Of The Afterlife, safe keeper of the departed humans. I am Naeyar, God Of Messages. Do you accept this offer or do you pass?" The ship sailed through the air as if it were water, pushed along by giant white sails that caught the gusts of wind from above, and two smaller flags by the side of the ship pushed by artificial wind two two large turbines. Crafted from the finest timber it looked as though the lacquer finish had been polished for months to create such a sheen. With a stylized, solid gold bulbous bow reinforcing the a long pike protruding from the ships bow it looked as though it was literally cutting the clouds as it sailed through them like an ocean of fluffy white.

If the dragon born would accept the offer she'd find herself instantly teleported aboard. The ship looked giant from the ground but up close, it was so much more. It stretched for miles upon miles, it was as if were made for a crew of giants, and in actuality, it was. Off in the distance, such a long way away, Myata would spy a man steering the ship. It would be at the very edge of her sight but she would be able to see this man was wearing a white battle dress with golden trimming held up by brown leather suspenders. Atop his head was a roman helm crafted of gold, moulded to make it look as though the helm had sprouted wings and fitted with a Mohawk of unicorn mane. This was the Mystic Golden Helm of Divine Kings, a helm forged with the stolen horde of the great dragon Kovinth, Destroyer Of Men, by dwarves who sacrificed it to Naeyar in a great time of need. This helm acts as a ward against mind affecting ailments and help the wearer keep a sense of right while demeaning the wrong. Upon his feet were sandals crafted with leather and trimmed with gold. These were the 'Feet of Blessed Justice' a gift from the Goddess Sopuna, she had awarded it to him days after completing the sprint across the world. These boots double a the wearers speed allowing them to run both faster and for a longer time. Finally he wore upon his wrists leather bracers, the Champion's Bracers of the Prodigy. These bracers were a gift from his brother Ombus, youngest of the three. They increase the wearers strength by triple and were gifted to Naeyar amidst the boasting of Ombus who claimed to have no need for them.

The man was gripping the wheel and holding it tightly. If Myata dared closed the gapw he would find he was further away than the she had thought. As she'd draw closer and closer to the helmsman she would find that he was a giant of a man, standing over one-hundred meters tall. Resting upon a frame by his side was a staff, the magical staff 'Dragon's Cane.' Carved from the bones of Mesanth The Mysterious One, it was fitted with a great jewel but upon the fitting the bones of Mesanth began to twist and turn to bronze and silver. Soon the images of serpents grew from the staff and accosted the jewel as if the dragons greed had surpassed the realms of life and death yet they froze before reaching it as the jewel began to glow blue. It created a shield of wings to protect itself and the serpents were halted in their advance. Some say the soul of Mesanth now lives within the jewel yet none have been able to communicate with it to confirm this theory. Other venture that the jewel was by chance the lost 'Eye of Mivtix', Goddess Of Jealousy. A lost treasure of the first wife of Hatuna, Goddess Of Thunder, which she crafted herself by tearing out her left eye and bathing it the waters of Masra, Goddess Of Truth. She used it to spy on Hatuna whilst she was away, driven mad by jealousy and paranoia, the Eye was capable of peering every corner of the universe.

The trip would be short, over in an instant, and the destination would reveal itself to be an old forgotten Colosseum where an unseen battle took place.

---

Please exit to this thread. Remember to repost your equipment. That will be mandatory for all threads in the event. Just sit back and wait for everyone else to catch up now.

[Deleted]

Another god. Naturally. Not that it mattered at this point. The spirits writhing about her recoiled at the very thought, and that was enough for her. Myata looked up - her course was set.

"Yeah. I said I'd do it, after all."

That was apparently all it took for the mammoth skyship to burst gloriously from the clouds, casting bright sunlight across the landscape. It made her uncomfortable. Just as suddenly she was on board, some sort of teleportation method. Whether it was magic or technology didn't really matter. These were gods. Clearly one or the other, if not both, had advanced well beyond what mere humans were capable of.

She approached the helmsman, gradually noting the sheer scale of the deck, and by extension the stature of her sole companion. He was bigger than the goddess who had asked Myata to champion her cause. Far bigger. An absolute titan in fact. She tried not to appear too overwhelmed, in spite of his awe inspiring presence. Hr dark passengers on the other hand just wanted to run away. But they couldn't, not tethered as they were to Myata. No, they were trapped within a thirty meter range of her, and could flee no farther.

And just like that, after an impressive display of lights from his staff, suddenly they had arrived. This was easily the best way to travel. The destination was an ancient ruined Colosseum, circular structure for participation and spectatorship of bloodsport. Appropriate. A place where misfortune befell so many, so cruelly, that even the entities that haunted Myata forgot their fear of these gods for a moment and edged forward, eager to bask in the negativity. In a place like this, they were stronger than any mortal shell, perhaps strong enough to haunt even the gods themselves. But ultimately they were restricted by the mortal they were bound to, unable to exceed the limitations of her body and soul. How disappointing. Their reluctant host wanted naught to do with them, and so their potential went unmet.

The brilliant light that brought her aboard shone across her sight once more.

[x-it]