I'M YOUR GIRL! ♪

annette fantine dominic. blue lions student. toa affiliated.

[bloomstride]

Cage Half Full

nappingscholar​:

Linhardt had many rude awakenings in his life, mostly from people wanting him to stop slacking off, but this was one time he wished he stayed asleep. 

The bump in the road caused him to abruptly wake up, his eyes quickly scanning his surroundings (or lack thereof). He was trapped in a wooden cage that was barely big enough for him and his fellow abductee.

Wait, there was another person? A look down at his ankles revealed a chain connecting him to Annette of the Blue Lions. “Oh great,” he grumbled, “maybe she could sing a song to our captors to free us,”

She wouldn’t be much help asleep, Linhardt thought to himself. He sighed as he lightly kicked her until she woke up. “Annette, wake up. We’re in trouble,”

@bloomstride

She had fallen asleep rather quickly under the tents provided to them-- After all the hard work Annette had poured into the day, she knew it was best to rest up and prepare herself to even further advance her efforts for the days to come. At least, that was her plan.

When she was awoken, her eyes widened as she turned between Linhardt and the rather strange situation she found herself in. She pressed her palms against the wooden cage below her, swiveling her head around to see what she could find. Oh, this wasn’t good at all! Where were they headed? What was to be gained? Annette had too many questions, but first things first-- They had to escape. The quicker the better, too.

Rattling her leg against the chain in an attempt to free herself, the mage let out a sigh: “I-I see that! Ugh.. How did this even happen? Am I that deep of a sleeper?” No matter how much she moved, the chain wasn’t loosening. There had to be something around here to help them out, right?

“We can’t do much until we get rid of this chain.. --This is nothing but mean! Who did this?”

[bloomstride]

lending a hand

knightlyvaliance​:

Somedays, Ashe likes to go to the EDGES;; of the Garreg Mach Monastery and watch the towns below. He feels so high up here, so distant from the humble beginnings he came from just a few short years ago. He can feel the unrest all the same, in speaking with merchants who travel by. Attacks have become more common, bandits taking bolder moves by looting towns in the middle of broad daylight.. He’s had to be dispatched to a couple of these with his class to help stomp them out. It makes him wary, and he’s sure the townsfolk can’t feel any better. Ashe has watched the crowds starting to gather in the center of the town. Though there were no pitchfork and torches yet, he knew what anger and fear could do to a large group of people. They fed on it and it only would fuel their panic. Slowly but surely the crowd starts to move up the hill to Garreg Mach, and he doesn’t know how this will go.  Annette points it out, and he looks back at her briefly, a serious expression on his face. A quick nod, and he takes a shaky breath. He can hear their voices, demanding answers, and Ashe pulls himself up all the way to his full (short) height, and grabs the old wooden bow he had at his side. “We should MEET them,” he agrees, and turns his head towards the approaching crowd. 

“We may not be KNIGHTS OF SEIROS, but we are students of the Officer’s Academy! This is what we prepare for, talking to and helping out the people! If they have concerns.. Well.. it’s our duty and responsible to address them!” He grows more righteous with each word. 

“I don’t know what has upset them so much, but we must do our best to help calm the crowd. I’m sure the Knights have seen them coming too, so someone will be alerting Rhea. But.. Lets see what we can do.” he smiles, and as always it’s completely genuine. “We won’t need to wing it, we’ll just.. Tell the truth of what we know!”

@bloomstride​

She can’t argue with that-- Ashe’s words instill further motivation into the aspiring mage: “You’re right! If I know one thing, it’s that people like to hear honesty.” Annette, too, felt that way. The truthfulness of the present and the acknowledgement of the past cross her mind as she speaks. She hopes for it in more ways than one, but now isn’t the time to reminisce on what she has lost and what she yearns to recover. She feels she’ll be able to accomplish this task more than easily with her fellow Blue Lion. In fact, she’s hoping it will all go rather smoothly! But first.. She has to see what they’re up against.

It’s time for them to act! Leaving the front of the gate, she steps down towards where the crowd has amassed. It doesn’t take long for Annette to see that they’ve flocked around two people who seem to be orchestrating the whole ordeal. She isn’t sure where exactly to begin, but she doesn’t want to waste any more time wandering around when there’s work to be done. After all, she does pride herself in her studies and aiding others.

Yet, even before they can intervene, the two leaders quickly notice Ashe and Annette: “You’re both students here, aren’t you?” One of them says as they gesture towards the two. She bobs her head, hands laying loosely at her sides: “.. Yes! Yes, we sure are! Is there something we can help with? Maaaybe.. To ease your minds?” First and foremost, they need to learn the root of their dilemma. It’s apparent enough they’re unhappy with something, but what exactly?

The person next to them chimes in gesturing behind the two and towards the monastery: “If you want to ‘ease our minds’ so badly, go in there and get the Archbishop! The church promised peace to my land family many years ago, and you know what we’ve got? None of that! If you’re students, you must know what’s going on.”

@knightlyvaliance

[bloomstride]

Dispelling Bee - Lysithea & Annette

ordelion​:

“That’d be lovely, Annette. I’m sure you’ll have it mastered sooner than you think.” Lysithea responded, her gaze lazily and warmly hanging over her recently-acquired friend. It wasn’t spontaneous, mind you, this bond- but they only had to go through perhaps four or so academic projects and shared chore-sessions together before a strong budding connection had begun to take shape from Lysithea’s conversations with Annette. It was a rare relationship where Lysithea could be a mentor to someone, giving them encouragement, time, advice, instruction, and so much more, and watch it all give vitality to someone’s spirit and improve their being- like fresh fertilizer to a sprouting apple tree! “I suppose there’s nothing wrong with keeping busy, physically or mentally… but you seem to hardly sleep a wink. It’s just as important to rest as it is to work- otherwise all your efforts will wither, no matter how motivated you are. And we can’t have that, now can we?” As soon as the words escaped her mouth, she realized how much she sounded like the Professor after Lysithea had stayed up all night to finish off a potion-making project. Combined with Annette’s inquiries on her own strategies, and, well… it rather tossed about the poor girl’s ability to answer coherently. “…I, erm, don’t really know how. I mean, I know how- I do it every day- just, uh, not the specifics.” Lysithea mumbled, her posture still confident but her voice rather betraying that. “I-If I were to postulate, it helps that I put my eggs into just a few baskets. You would hardly catch me spending my off-hours practicing sword maneuvers, for example, or horse-back riding, or axe-throwing. I, erm, prioritize my efforts.”

She couldn’t deny Lysithea’s words-- She did overwork herself more often than not. Her professors would more than likely say the same. She let out a nervous laugh in agreement at the sentiment: “You’re right.. Maybe I should relax here and there. If it helps my studies, then.. Yeah. If I view it like that, I’ll have to stop once in a while!” There were instances she filled her silence with songs and writing silly lyrics, but that was never something she felt a need to boast about.

It all made sense. Practicing skills that one would never use seemed like a pointless endeavor when there was more to be done, even if Annette herself would rarely say no to learning something new. Granted, she was a mage. Unbecoming as it might seem, though, she didn’t prioritize her efforts as much as Lysithea did. Annette had been spending her time as of late mixed between magic skills, helping around the monastery, and even learning to maneuver an axe.

“I could probably learn a thing or two from that, huh?” Another laugh. “It’s silly, but.. If someone asks me to try something new, it’s hard for me to pass it up.” It could prove useful some day, right? But, no-- She was just thinking otherwise. The more she thought of it, the longer she realized it wouldn’t benefit the magic she had worked so hard to hone. She couldn’t let herself forget all the formulas and trajectories she practiced to no end. “Say, Lysithea.. What do you like to do in your free time? What if we do something together?”

[bloomstride]

a treat for you

lalamines​:

The smell of still warm, freshly spun sugar lingered in the air. It was tantalising, so very tempting but the Ferris wheel was just in sight. Mercedes forced herself to turn away from the sweets and focus on their destination of choice first. Hands already full, she can’t reach out to Annette this time but they walk shoulder to shoulder together through the crowds, unwilling to separate too much.

The queue they joined was terribly long, Mercedes wondered just how long she could do without indulging her sweet tooth. Thankfully, she was in good company with Annette by her side, their chatter helping distract from the excruciating wait. Instead, it seemed to pass by in a flash as the pair nattered and laughed from the one end to the next.

“My treat this time!” Mercedes declared whilst fumbling for her coin purse. It was a bit of an ordeal given how much she was holding on to but she managed to pull it out with a sheepish grin towards the attendant. Handing over the coins, she turned to Annette with a bright smile, “Ready to roll?”

Clambering into the carriage, Mercedes settle down Colonel Teddy and laid out their sweet treats on a small table in the middle. A lantern hung above their heads, casting a warm glow. Outside the sun had set completely, providing a backdrop for thousands of twinkling stars and the fireworks display. There was just something magical about the atmosphere as they looked out of the window and began to ascent.

“Annie?” Mercedes asked, taking one of her younger friend’s hands in her own. “Do you think we’ll be able to see the monastery from here?”

Annette always liked to fill long lines or tedious moments with talk or curiosity. Even now, as they slowly made their way towards the front, she found herself wondering exactly what Mercedes had asked. She mimicked her friend’s actions, placing down Sir Bear alongside her own handful of tasty treats.

“I sure hope so! I’d like to see it from here.” She doubted she’d ever get much of a chance again, after all. Seldom did the opportunity arise to ride on a Ferris Wheel, let alone in a location so central to all of Fodlan.

As the ride began to move, she tightened her grip on Mercedes’s hand and leaned towards the side to get a better look. It was a rather smooth transition, but what excited her most of all was the view-- In fact, she wished this moment could last longer than it was going to.

“Mercie! Look at that! If you squint reallyyy hard, you can see our rooms at the monastery.” That was quite the overstatement, but it nonetheless emphasized her happiness. She could see other people grabbing treats of their own, talking with friends, and even sitting to the side for the fireworks.

As they moved around, the fireworks so beautifully accompanied the stars up above. Their colors and patterns caught her sight: “The fireworks are beautiful.. If only we could see them everyday.” She let out a little laugh, shaking off the thought. Even if that were to happen, it wouldn’t make them as special as it was to see them only in rare instances.

It was as if the ground below them was filled with fun and adventure. Yet, what made it even better was when the ride would finish and she would leave with Mercedes. There was no better journey than one with her friend.

[bloomstride]

a treat for you

lalamines​:

“Are you sure, Annie? I brought plenty of coins.” Mercedes said breezily as she clutched Colonel Teddy closer to herself, careful not to coat him in sticky caramel. That would be a pain to keep up. She chuckled at the idea of sharing their sweets with the bears. Adorable but definitely impractical. Besides, Mercedes could be a teensy bit selfish when it came to sweets.

“I think they’d rather watch us eat, don’t you think? It’s a terrible ordeal trying to wash caramel from fur, after all.” Mercedes chimed as she followed Annette to the candy floss stand. It smelled delectable even from afar but what really took her breath away was the array of colours available. Patel shades of pink, green, blue, purple, yellow - it was a veritable rainbow of candy. Her mouth hung open slightly as she tried to choose a colour for herself. Hmm, perhaps if she asked nicely she could have a pink and yellow swirl.

“What takes your fancy, Annie?” The older woman asks gently, still awe-struck by the options available to them. “Do you think they do swirls of colour? Oh - do you think the colours taste a little different? Maybe yellow is banana and pink is strawberry!”

Mercedes had an excellent point-- All she wanted was for their plush bears to get dirty. A laugh left her lips at the suggestion in agreement, slight embarrassment seeping through: “You’re right. That does sound like a hassle.” She was getting a bit ahead of herself, but she couldn’t help it! There was something about spending time with her friend that always made her feel so excited and happy.

“Ooh! A strawberry banana snack! Mm.. That does sound good. I’ll ask!” That she exactly did, fiddling with her purse as she looked up towards the person selling the candy floss. “Hello! I was wondering.. Will you mix flavors? You know.. Yellow and pink, purple and orange.. All of that.” The attendant nodded and Annette perked up before she could even hear the entire speech: “One yellow-pink swirl, please!” She paused momentarily, studying the flavors for herself to enjoy: “And.. Red and blue for me.” Annette didn’t know what her flavors might be with utmost certainty, but she supposed she would be in for a surprise. In fact, she might have jumped too soon by ordering for the both of them.

Once she set her coins down and the candy floss was finished, the aspiring mage was handed two rather large sweets. She turned to Mercedes with the largest grin and handed her the snack: “Whoa.. These are bigger than I thought. I wonder if they’re as good as they look.”

[bloomstride]

lending a hand

People from all corners of Fódlan and from all walks of life have gathered to the Church for peace and reassurance. It’s part of the Church’s responsibility to administer blessings to these far-flung travelers, but some are more agitated than others, demanding answers that the Church is trying to avoid giving. Their job is to keep the peace. Help the overwhelmed clergy with the crowds however you can. [Grants Faith +1]

There’s a certain pride she feels when she studies to help protect those she cares about, but she can’t learn the ins and outs of every situation through books. Annette finds herself reminded of this in the here and now. She stands at the gate, observing the rather troubling scene below. Within the markets, Annette spots a rather large crowd of people gathering around in a rather surprising manner. She won’t allow herself to be a mere bystander!

When she spots Ashe, she walks up to him and points towards the markets: “Hey, Ashe! Look at that huge group down there! I’ve been standing here for a few minutes now and it looks like more people are gathering by the second.” She pauses in her speech, taking a few steps away from her classmate in order to get a better look at the scene.

One of the clergy’s stands amidst the numbers, but she can’t hear their words over the ones from strangers. “Why won’t you tell us?” She hears in an aggravated voice. “I traveled all the way from Enbarr, you know!” Another says. The angry and loud crowds continue amidst the voices of confusion and agitation--- Annette has her own reasons for attending school here, but what she does know is that she can’t just stand around and watch the single clergy get overwhelmed!

Turning back around to face Ashe, she says, “What do you think? We should do something, right? I mean.. We’re students here, after all!” She pumps a hand upwards out of excitement, readying herself for what might lie ahead. Here, Annette thinks it’s best not to act alone. Who knows what might happen? She doesn’t want to make the situation worse! There’s a pause amidst her eagerness, quickly lowering her hand and letting out a nervous laugh: “Oh, but.. Do we need to come up with a plan? Or.. Well, in this kind of situation, that might just get us nowhere. How about we wing it?”

@knightlyvaliance

[bloomstride]

grand finale​​​​

seraphiia​:

     Healing is just about all she can manage at this point. Celica has remained on her knees since Briareus’ prior assault, using the Hagakure Blade as a prop for support. With each ragged breath that rends her lungs, there is a sharp, lancing pain in her rib—it’s likely broken. With that, on top of the exhaustion that has built throughout these rounds of constant battle, the queen doesn’t think she can move anymore.

     No. She knows she can’t. Even as Marianne falls prey to the same onslaught of punches, even as Mae angrily swings at the beast for the sake of their fallen friend’s honor… no matter how much Celica tries, how much her brain screams to move, her muscles do not listen. All she can do is throw out her hand, and will towards Mae what healing magic she could.

Celica heals Mae for +6HP and Annette for +4HP! (Mae: 10/10, Annette: 10/10)

     At the very least, the sting of poison has left her blood due to Annette’s restoration, but not even that small moment of reprieve can last. Smiling weakly to the younger girl, Celica places a hand to her shoulder, doing what she could to stem the flow of poison that remained in the mage’s system. “There. That should help you feel better… for a bit. Now—” The ground tremors once more, and when Celica looks up, the giant is running away from Mae, and towards—

     “Watch out!”

Briareus attacks Celica w/ Nimble Combo for -12.5HP (Celica: 0/10) Celica is defeated!

     There’s no time for delicacy. Celica roughly pushes Annette away from her with all the strength she can muster, out of the line of Briareus’ path. The young queen is left vulnerable, defenseless—pathetic, crumpled on her knees, as she finds herself unable to defend against the barrage of punches that rain down upon her. White spots fill her vision, the world twists and turns and blurs, and Celica’s consciousness snaps to black before she can make sense of any of it. 

     Back into the recesses of darkness, where she could finally sleep…

@bloomstride

Her restore magic is only but a temporary solution, for the true harm won’t dissipate until Briareus is gone. Annette’s eyes widen as the phantom closes in on where she stands near Celica, feeling the force of Celica’s push move her cleanly out of the way. She wants to protest and run back to protect Celica, but it’s too late. Annette cries out, anger boiling inside of her at the mere sight: “Celica! No..--” She pauses, eyes squinting at Briareus: “You.. You’ll pay for this! Go away!”

She knows she has to act now while its attention is off of the fallen Celica and onto her. A part of her feels nervous, but the bigger feeling is that of revenge and a want to put a stop to its evil ways. Her stance is firmly planted on the ground as she begins to bolt towards the enemy-- Her axe cleanly sits in her grip as she aims to end this here and now.

Perhaps her act is impulsive-- Reckless, even. There’s no rhyme or reason to the way she swings, simply following the way she’s always done it. Still, it doesn’t matter to her. Briareus begins to dodge her attack, but Annette is able to get a clean sweep in before it can leave her axe’s range.

Annette attacks Briareus -> -4.5 HP.

Briareus is defeated!

The phantom disappears, leaving nothing behind but its remnants of chaos and destruction. Annette stands still, lowering her axe in turn. She knows she wouldn’t have been able to do this if it weren’t for the help of her entire team.

Just like that, it’s over. She feels a sense of relief as she turns to Mae with a nod of the head. What’s more important first and foremost is getting Celica and Marianne the aid they need. Only then, once all four were up and smiling again, can they celebrate their victory. Together.

[bloomstride]

grand finale​​

cruelsfate​:

The Serpent, loathsome creature, falls to the swing of Mae’s axe. The relief she feels at the sight of it fading away is insurmountable, though it has inevitably left its mark. Poison slowly chips away at her allies lives, kept only at bay by the constant healing she provides. Still, she’d not declared a Restore spell this time around. It would have to be enough.

The mage calls upon all the magic in her blood, her prayers going along with the healing light that manifests at her fingertips. Fortify—the greatest kind of healing spell she had ever learned, strong enough to dissipate across fields, tending to allies beyond her physical reach. Though the arena is hardly so big, she has spent four rounds running to and fro to tend to her allies. Now, she need only stand in place.

Marianne uses Fortify and heals all her allies for 4 HP. ( Celica : 7 / 10 HP ; Annette : 10 HP ; Mae : 10 /10 HP )

There is one thing about standing in place, though, and it is that she has been made a target for their remaining foe. Briareus rains its fury upon her, perhaps seeking to accomplish what it had not been able to before. It has not the familiar hellfire that it oft summons in her nightmares—perhaps the projectionist only sees so much; perhaps they could not see the way it seemed to rain for ages, or feel the way it burned against her skin, or understand the horror she felt when her allies fell and they did not get up again.

But if nothing else, the projectionist surely must understand fear and resolve in the face of it. She cannot leave the spell incomplete, lest it do nothing at all. The Fortify spell completes itself with a shining light as Briareus delivers its final blow. It hardly needed to be so harsh—a light breeze might have tipped her over her—but it is delivered with the same bone-crushing strength that the other three had been.

Briareus attacks Marianne for 12 damage. ( Marianne : 0 / 10 HP ) Marianne has been defeated.

You did say you would do whatever it took.

When darkness comes to claim her, she knows it will only be for a moment, not forever. With that in mind, closing her eyes does not seem like such a bad idea…

Her relief at the Serpent’s demise doesn’t last long for the fear of a friend no longer offering aid came true. Annette had been in that state herself not too long ago, but she can never truly get over the dismay and gut-wrenching feeling when it happens to someone else. She yearns to run over to Marianne and help, but she knows she can’t do anything. For her sake, all Annette can do is take down the mean, cruel enemy that toppled the group’s alliance.

“Marianne..” Her voice is soft, free fist clenched as she turns back to the rest of her team. She isn’t able to heal right now, but what she can do is offer relief from the poison. As it took its toll on the mage, she can only imagine what the others might be enduring. If she can relieve that feeling, it will make fighting all the more easier.

Annette uses Restore -> Celica is no longer poisoned.

Annette is poisoned -> 9/10.

She heads towards Celica and begins to cure her of the toxic poison. She acts quickly but steadily enough to make sure she’s keeping her focus. “There. It should be gone now. Do you feel any better? We’re almost done here.. I just know it.” She musters a smile in hopes of keeping everyone motivated and ready to take down their final foe. From what she can tell, it really is powerful.

@primaeverra​

[bloomstride]

grand finale​

seraphiia​:

     Things aren’t going so terribly, so far—Annette and Mae are making quick work of the serpent, but it almost felt too easy. And Celica knows, from her battle with it in the past, that dealing with either of these beasts had been anything but. Celica’s brow furrows, grip tightening on her sword, only for her to belatedly realize it was not the one she had before.

     She glances down at it, eyes running along the blade of foreign make. This was a… katana. She knew almost nothing about wielding them—that was more Kamui’s area of expertise—and Celica finds herself wishing she had taken the time to ask him a bit more about his sword style. But now was not the time to regret or reminiscence; this was the hand she’s been dealt, and she simply had to make the most of it.

Serpent attacks Celica for -1.5HP (Celica: 8.5/10) Poison Strike: -1HP (Celica: 7.5/10) Celica counters for -1.5HP (Serpent: 1.5/20)

     After recovering from Mae’s attack, the serpent changes targets, casting a blast of Valaura Celica’s way. The toxic light hits her dead on, burning and stinging in equal measure, and Celica cries out from the pain. So, this was how that spell felt.

Briareus attacks Celica for -5.5HP (Celica: 2/10) Celica counters for -2HP (Briareus: 18/20)

     It’s not enough to bring her down, not nearly enough, so she kicks off into a sprint, swinging the Hagakure Blade towards one of the serpent’s many heads. The blade slices through scaled, reptilian skin, and Celica is almost relieved to see it—a far cry from their last battle, where not even the strength of the Brave Sword could amount to much against that wyvern’s thick hide. But her small moment of celebration is cut short when the goliath charges for her as well, the ground tremoring with each thunderous footstep. There’s no time for her to run, or dodge; before she knows it, fists are slamming into her petite form, hard enough to break bone.

Celica is healed for +1HP by Amaterasu (Celica: 3/10) Celica heals Marianne for +6HP and Annette for +3HP (Marianne: 10/10, Annette: 10/10) Celica is healed for +1HP by Bond, but its canceled out by poison.

     But Celica fights back. She desperately strikes back at one of the fists, slashing it through the knuckle. But that’s about all she can manage before crumpling to her knees in a mix of pain and exhaustion, the sting of poison running through her veins. Propped up on her sword, she raises a shaky hand, summoning what magic she can. The soothing light weakly spreads throughout the arena, healing Annette and Marianne’s wounds.

@bloomstride​

Their two enemies head towards Celica while Annette can do nothing but watch in horror and disbelief. Even despite all of that, she still is able to heal the two girls to a full recovery. It’s admirable, Annette thinks. The strength and determination it takes to keep fighting back is something she’s always admired.

She isn’t able to cast a healing spell, but what she can do is fight-- To end this and rid themselves of one opponent. If this axe is as strong as her last attempt, surely she can get rid of this phantom here and now. The Axe of Zoltan rests within her grasp and she moves towards the serpent as soon as she’s feeling fully revitalized and recharged.

Still, the poison continues to make its course. She knows it’s there no matter how much she tries not to think about it. She tries to suppress the thought and its repercussions, but it seems like she isn’t able to. The serpent effortlessly dodges her attack as if this is only a game. She pouts at her failure, briefly turning her back towards the enemy only to find herself struck once more by its stinging light.

Annette attacks Serpent -> Miss.

Serpent counterattacks -> -3 HP.

Annette attacks again (Darting Blow) -> Miss.

Annette is healed at the beginning of her turn for +1 (Amaterasu) and healed +1 at the end (Bond). Poison overrides Bond. Annette left with 6/10.

She faces the serpent now, eyes squinting upon its casting. She charges ahead, replicating her previous move. Still, the horrific light’s pain casts a removal of energy on her as she finds herself hitting a bit too far to the right. A mistake, but no time to dwell on it. She calls out to her team, tone filled with her usual pep: “Let’s finish this one off first!”

@primaeverra​

[bloomstride]

grand finale

seraphiia​:

Team 11, Gold Round!

     With the disintegration of the Wyvern Lord comes the appearance of two new enemies, both far more imposing than any other they’ve faced to this point.  But they strike her as familiar, so harrowingly familiar that Celica freezes in place, chest constricting, breath hitching as their grandiose forms come into existence. She remembers, vaguely, the projectionist mentioning being able to peer into one’s memories, and as Celica faces down the eight-headed serpent and multi-fisted giant before them, that claim couldn’t have rung any more true.

     The giant in particular summons a painful ache to her chest; memories, of meteors and hellfire raining down through that endless void, burning her alive—

     She shakes her head, forcing the memory away. Now wasn’t the time for that. Right now, Annette needed help. Swallowing the lump in her throat, Celica rushes over to the fallen girl, calling upon every bit of energy she can muster to restore her consciousness. As Annette’s eyes flutter open, the young queen places a reassuring hand to her shoulder, gently guiding her up into a sitting position.

Celica heals Annette for +3HP and +4HP w/ Recover + Galeforce (Annette: 7/10) Celica is healed for +2HP w/ Marianne’s Amaterasu and Bond (Celica: 10/10)

     “You’re alright,” She assures with a smile, only for it to falter slightly as she turns back to their enemies, brow furrowed. For now, at least.

@primaeverra, @bloomstride, @cruelsfate

The shaking feeling of defeat and helplessness dissipates as energy and warmth swarms back into her. She smiles towards Celica, triumphantly nodding her head as she sat up: “Thank you so much. I may have messed that up, but this time.. I’m going all out.” When she awakens, the Wyvern Lord is no more. Instead, her eyes glance towards two enemies even stronger than the last. It left an unsettling feeling in her stomach, but they’ve already made it this far. Even if she fell once, she’ll keep going.

She rapidly equips herself for battle after she stands up. Axe of Zoltan-- She’s heard of weapons as mighty and fierce as this. Each axe she held felt even stronger than the last. What’s more, she understands them now. If she can wield it just right, these phantoms will be out of the arena in no time. Annette looks at the Serpent, opting to target it first. A bit scary as it is, she knows how this works. She won’t waste this opportunity given to her.

Thus, she swings.

Annette attacks Eight-Headed Serpent -> Critical hit! -8 HP. Serpent left with 12/20.

Serpent counterattacks with Valaura -> -1.5 + toxic poison damage.

Annette attacks again (Darting Blow) -> Miss.

Annette is healed +2 HP by Amaterasu and Bond -> Annette left with 6.5/10.

It’s as if all her energy was revitalized and encompassed into a singular hit. Her strike is perfect and clean, hitting the Serpent hard and true. She faces with her own share of damage, much to her dismay-- Light magic. The mage isn’t adept on this spell. She doesn’t know its properties or how to dodge it. She’s hit with its light, effectively finding herself in a state she was in earlier battles ago. The feeling of poison is back. She attempts another swing while the Serpent’s sights are on her. As much as she aims for another book-worthy hit, the poison coursing through is enough to make her aim fall short of where she wants.

@primaeverra​ @cruelsfate​

[bloomstride]

penultimate​​

seraphiia​:

     Though the wyvern was slowing down, it was also beginning to grow more desperate. Being near-death seems to have given it a second wind, as it swoops down and mercilessly cuts at Marianne. Her wounds are grave, she can barely stand, and so Celica rushes over to tend to her injuries. Both Mae and Celica have known battle, Annette seemed to have some skill with an axe—of any of them, Marianne was the one least built for the front lines, and yet she stands there valiantly, dutifully, in place of those who cannot.

     If only Celica herself had been stronger, then this wouldn’t have to…

(Annette is defeated in enemy phase; Wyvern Lord heals for +1HP - WyvLord: 5/20) Celica heals Marianne for +6HP! (Marianne: 8/10)

     “Marianne,” She clamps down on her self-pitying and regret, hands hovering over the other woman’s wounds. Celica knows full well that none of them are in any real danger of dying (and if they were, this ‘projectionist’ would have to face her directly), but it’s no less painful, seeing a comrade crumple under the weight of such a devastating weapon. “It’s alright, I’m here. We’re going to make it through this. All of us, together. So just hold on—”

     She hears another cry from across the arena, turning to see Annette falling to the wyvern lord’s blade. Instead of struggling back to her feet and fighting back with her axe, or another of those spells she had been working hard to master, she remains unmoving. Motionless.

     “No…” The healing light fades, Marianne’s wounds healed. The former priestess clenches her fists. She thought Annette would be fine. Celica should have been stronger, more attentive, more…

     A large shadow passes over them, and Celica swallows the lump in her throat, taking hold of her blade. “Let’s end this quickly, ladies.” She says to Marianne and Mae, “The faster we do, the faster we can get Annette the help she needs.”

@bloomstride​

The Wyvern Lord heads towards Marianne in one fell swoop and knocks force out of her friend. Even when Annette thinks they’re about to win, there just has to be some sort of secret weapon all these enemies have. If only she had something like that of her own, but she didn’t need some fancy hidden items to keep her afloat. At least, that’s what she wants to think.

Once the phantom leaves Marianne and flies back into the air, the aspiring mage tries to steal a chance to attack. She begins to muster up her Ragnarok spell, only for her actions to get immediately pushed aside as the enemy is in arm’s length of her before she even has time to react. Instinctively, she attempts to move her axe in front of her person. Yet, there isn’t enough time for that. She’s not quick enough.

Wyvern Lord attacks Annette -> -5.5 HP. Annette left with 0/10.

Annette has been defeated!

She despises the painful feeling of Hauteclere that emanates throughout her body-- She’s been hit plenty of times before by all these rude enemies, but this one is different. It strikes her harder than ever as her vision fades and the cold reality of failure seeps into her skin. The axe strikes cleanly centered, knocking her down with no chance of scurrying up. She can’t hold the axe anymore. She can’t summon magic. She needs to rest before she can try again.

Annette lays still, eyes closed as the world around her melts away. She really isn’t strong enough yet. She wants to speak, to yell to her teammates to keep going against the Wyvern Lord. Even if she doesn’t have the energy for that right now, she hopes they know it all the same.

@primaeverra

[bloomstride]

penultimate​​

seraphiia​:

     The wyvern rider soars higher and higher into the sky, so high that no blade—or even magic—can reach. Celica gets a bad feeling, sure that the phantom was preparing to do something. A desperation attack, perhaps, or… no. Wait. That light, enveloping it. She’s seen it so many times during the past few battles, during this battle alone, that there was no mistaking it.

     Healing. The damned wraith was healing itself.

     “It’s recovering!” She warns the others, just as the beast dives back down for another attack. The fatigue she sensed from it was still there, but much less than before. If both sides kept healing themselves, then there was no telling how long this battle would go, or how long they would be able to last. They needed to end this, and soon.

(after the Wyvern Lord heals +3HP in the enemy phase - Wyvern Lord: 9.5/20) Celica attacks the Wyvern Lord twice for -1HP (Wyvern Lord: 8.5/20) Wyvern Lord attacks Celica and misses.

     Celica jumps out of the path of the rider’s axe, the apparition swinging it in a wide arc as the wyvern flies overhead. She’s quick to retaliate, however, striking the beast’s underbelly with two quick slashes of her sword. If only the wyvern wasn’t so sturdy… with the strength of the Brave Sword, that surely would have been a critical blow. She’s watched Deen cut down many a Terror with this very blade—it was a devastating weapon in its own right, yet wasted in her hands.

@bloomstride​

The group collectively continues chipping away at the phantom’s health only for her attention to divert the second she hears something she’d rather not. Healing? After all of that? It felt super unfair! The Wyvern Lord really isn’t making it easy for them, moving towards Celica as she dodges its scheming ways.

Her fingers touch the top of her axe as she moves to press it against her chest with her left hand, reminding her of its presence. It’s strong and powerful, but it’s not Crusher. It’s not one she’s familiar with. She’s comfortable with her spell, finding growth with each and every strike of it. It’s satisfying to land hits easily after her mess with Bolting. Besides, since she knows she has it down pat, she feels safer in the knowledge that she’ll have better success.

She pouts towards the phantom in a taunt, if only to emphasize just how strong her and her team really is: “Nuh-uh! Stop that right now. I mean it!” At her command, her free hand follows the wyvern’s flight. It’s going fast, but there isn’t anywhere for it to hide.

Annette attacks Wyvern Lord -> -2 HP

Wyvern Lord counterattacks -> -2.5 HP. Annette left with 5/10.

The enemy had its wings and soaring movements as an advantage over her and everyone else. She can’t out-run that! From way up high, it still has enough force to strike her mere seconds after her own attack. She lets out a little yelp as Hautclere makes a clean sweep, this time feeling slightly more painful than the last.

@primaeverra​

[bloomstride]

penultimate​

seraphiia​:

     There’s something oddly intimate about her connection with Ragnarok. As Celica watches flames descend and engulf the wyvern rider in their inferno, something deep within her aches. It fears the flames, yet longs to touch them, to make them her own. She misses her magic much more than she realizes, especially now that even her sword skills, ones she’s honed for almost a decade, seemed to be of no real use.

     But there’s still plenty she’s capable of doing. Marianne blasts the wyvern rider with a column of light, only to be struck with that menacing axe for her troubles. Celica’s breath hitches as it soars back into the air, diving towards Mae next—but the other girl dodges, though her retaliatory spell doesn’t seem to have any effect. It’s regrettable, and yet, Celica’s almost glad for it. She doesn’t like the thought of her best friend harnessing such dark, soul-consuming magic.

(after being healed by Ochain Shield in enemy phase - Wyvern Lord: 11/20) Celica heals Marianne for +6HP! (Marianne: 10/10)

     With the wyvern retreating back into the sky, Celica rushes over to Marianne, healing light manifest in her palms. “Don’t worry, I’ve got you. You’re doing great, Marianne. Keep up the excellent work.”

@bloomstride​

She sees it best to keep attacking offensively and Ragnarok isn’t letting her down. In fact, perhaps all the observations and trials she’s witnessed from the previous battles helped lead her up to a moment like this. It isn’t often she casts such a spell, but she knows this enemy won’t go down unless she keeps on doing so.

After attacking Marianne and Mae, Annette seizes another opportunity when the phantom’s back is turned to her. Wyverns are quick and versatile-- She knows she doesn’t have much time. She replicates her Ragnarok spell and lets its flickers of fury swoop the very frontal of the phantom.

Annette attacks Wyvern Lord -> -2 HP.

Wyvern Lord counterattacks -> 2.5 HP. Annette left with 7.5/10.

With every spell, it draws attention to her. She expects the Wyvern Lord to turn around-- And that it exactly does. It almost feels like the phantom is getting faster and can more readily predict her movements, but she readies herself for as much. It’s like mastering a spell-- One can only improve with time and witnessing its power.

The Wyvern Lord’s axe makes another clean hit, this time sweeping the side nearest her own physical weapon. Axes graze one another but the enemy’s is stronger, dodging the stored item and hitting her just above its placing. As much as she likes using the axe, Ragnarok has a feeling of whimsicalness to it she can’t quite describe.

@cruelsfate​

[bloomstride]

penultimate​

seraphiia​:

     It takes her a moment to notice: there’s a weight in her hand, cold and firm. She looks down to see a blade in her grip, and though it doesn’t thrum with the familiar warmth of Beloved Zofia, it is a welcome addition to her arsenal. As much as Celica loathed violence, she’d practiced the sword since she was young—she knew it almost like the back of her hand.

    After a failed attempt to strike Marianne, the wyvern rider ascends back into the air, circling the arena for a moment before swooping down towards Mae. Much like the woman before her, she manages to avoid the arc of the rider’s large, menacing axe, and Celica can’t help the sigh of relief that leaves her at the sight. But there’s no time to rejoice or relax, for the apparition soon turns its attentions upon her. 

(after Wyvern Lord is healed by Ochain Shield in enemy phase) Celica attacks the Wyvern Lord twice for -1HP (Wyvern Lord: 15.5/20) Wyvern Lord attacks Celica and misses.

    It dives towards her at an alarming speed, but not so surprising that she doesn’t have enough time to dodge, jumping out of the axe’s path and quickly retaliating with two sword strikes to the wyvern’s side. They both connect, yet barely graze the beast’s thick skin. She bites her bottom lip, holding back a curse. For as comfortable as it felt in her grip, the most comfortable she’s felt in this event thus far, her sword felt practically useless here.

@bloomstride​ 

The Wyvern Lord misses several attacks it pursues against her teammates. She smiles at the sight and cheers them on with a jump in place. She finds it awe-inspiring to watch the dodges, enough to hope she can perhaps replicate the same. The enemy flies and spins in the air, filling the arena with its intimidating ways (at least, in Annette’s opinion).

She feels it best to keep relying on her magic-- As much as the axe at her side is a viable option, she’s better attuned to the swirls and mystical sparks of magic than anything else. Annette summons her ragnarok spell once more, seizing the chance to attack after Celica’s encounter. If she’s lucky, she might be able to even catch the phantom off-guard.

Its attention isn’t on her just yet. It’s now or never!

Annette attacks Wyvern Lord -> -3 HP.

Wyvern Lord counterattacks -> -2.5 HP. Annette left with 5/10.

The spell strikes cleanly at its center and the wyvern rider moves its attention towards the aspiring mage. The phantom’s axe isn’t parallel to hers nor does she have the time to whip out her own weapon and use it to protect herself. Instead, she’s rather vulnerable after bringing her hands back to her side from her work. She’s struck on the opposite side where her axe lay, placing a hand over the injury on instinct.

@primaeverra​

[bloomstride]

penultimate

seraphiia:

Team 11, Silver Round!

     Celica’s injuries are tended to by Mae, and Marianne comes to heal her wounds almost immediately afterward. Even through blurred vision and a fading consciousness, there had been no mistaking the flash of lightning that won the day: after all of her failed attempts, Annette had finally managed a successful cast of Bolting. More than relief, Celica feels an immense swell of pride and joy for the girl.

Celica heals Annette for +6HP! (Annette: 10/10)

     “Great job, Annette!” She steps up to Annette with a congratulatory pat on the shoulder, healing the girl moments later. “I knew you had it in you.” Smiling, she turns to the others. “In fact, I think we all make quite the team, don’t we?”

     But the celebrations are cut short as a new enemy materializes to take the place of the ones they’ve just felled. Unlike the previous rounds, there is only one illusion that faces them down this time. It was a soldier riding atop the back of a dragon: a wyvern rider, in other words. Such warriors were a rather uncommon sight back in Valentia, but it was one she’s started to grow accostumed to since arriving in Fodlan.

     Briefly, Celica’s eyes scan the field. There were no other enemies… which meant that this one likely held the strength of a small team, all on its own.

     “Careful, ladies. This is a foe we mustn’t take lightly.”

@primaeverra, @bloomstride, @cruelsfate

After a flashing display of victory, she’s feeling rather confident in herself. There is something about winning that was exciting and all thanks to everyone’s efforts. With their newest foe now facing the front lines, Annette finds herself healed and ready to go with all of the energy she could ever need.

“Yeah! We’re a great team. Let’s show this next one what we’re made of.”

She feels rejuvenated and ready to fight. She’s familiar with wyverns but she can’t say she’s able to easily predict its movements. She’s not even much of a wyvern rider herself, but it is true that one has to be prepared for anything.

With an axe under one arm, Annette opts to rely on her magic first and foremost again. She’s mastered bolting (enough for now, at least). It’s time for her to try another spell. Much like the lightning spell, it’s not one she’s completely honed yet. Yet, that doesn’t matter to her. She knows she’s ready. She stays calm, magic brightly lighting up the arena as ragnarok directly hits the wyvern lord.

She starts to let out a cheer, smiling gleefully until the phantom hits her with its own axe right at her side. It nearly knocks the wind out of her, but she manages to stay standing and keep herself optimistic.

Annette attacks Wyvern Lord -> -3 HP.

Wyvern Lord counterattacks -> -2.5 HP. Annette left with 7.5/10.

“This really is a toughie!” She calls out to her team, turning away from the phantom and onto them.

@primaeverra​ @cruelsfate​

[bloomstride]

together we fight​​​​​​​​​​​​

seraphiia​:

     “That was…” One hand has pulled her back to her feet, while another mends her wounds with a familiar warmth. All this time, Celica had merely seen her teammates as just that: comrades who shared a common goal. Aside from Mae, who she has known since childhood, she hadn’t thought to think of them as anymore than that. But as she takes in Mae’s grin, and the bright gleam in Annette’s eyes, Celica feels something tug in her chest. Gentle and affectionate, a warmth to offset the underlying chill. She laughs, her smile kind and genuine. “You were both perfect.”

     But the moment is abruptly cut short by the cry of pain that leaves Mae, just as the Paladin stabs her twice in the back. It’s racing off before any of them can strike back, but is suddenly caught in a burst of blinding light. The apparition soon fades, but its presence is still very keenly felt in the blood that seeps from Mae’s wounds, the Novis mage urging the others to get away, even as she suffers.

Trickster attacks Celica for -1.5HP (Celica: 6.5/10) Celica counters for w/ Valaura for -1.5HP (Trickster: 6.5/15) Trickster is damaged by poison. (Trickster: 5.5/15)

     “Mae, hold on! You’ll be alright, just—” Celica feels a searing pain across her back, pushed forward once more as she turns to look over her shoulder, carnelia hues meeting the soulless gaze of the trickster’s form. There’s no time to think. Her hand thrusts out, and crystals of violet form at her fingertips. The caustic radiance of Valaura soon engulfs the wraith, but the swordsman is soon to break out of the spell, moving at inhuman speeds as it closes the distance between them once more, slashing her with a double strike in the abdomen and chest.

Trickster attacks Celica twice for -6HP (Celica: 0.5/15) Celica attacks Trickster for -1.5HP (Trickster: 4/15)

     Celica stumbles back with a choked gasp, her breathing hitched—one hand goes to clutch the gash above her breast, with the other surges with energy. With a flick of the wrist, Valaura manifests once more, wrapping the apparition in dark light.

     “Someone—” She forces out, vision blurring. “someone… heal Mae… k—keep her safe…”

@primaeverra​

Her teammates are struggling. The Trickster is strong with its swift and non-forgiving movements, much to her dismay. She wants to heal everyone, but what she needs more is to rid their final opponent off of the battlefield. For, only then could she jump for victory and properly let her newfound friends heal.

This battle needs to end-- Now. She tosses the axe to the side, enveloping herself in what knowledge she’s gained throughout this battle. What a clever foe the Trickster is. Blows swiftly fly in her direction as she attempts to dodge but finds herself amidst the frontal of its weaponry. She feels a bang and a slash, wincing as she shakes off the feeling of pain.

Trickster attacks Annette -> Annette at 5/10 HP.

Each miss is a chance to learn and an opportunity to see the flaws in her execution. She had seen the near misses in her magic. She had observed the speed of the phantoms. If she can just put it all together, she’ll have the perfect combination of everything. She keeps quiet, raising her arms out and summoning the bolting spell. Her focus is firm-- Even more-so than it has been this entire battle. She won’t let the trickster escape this time.

Annette attacks Trickster -> -4 HP. Critical hit!

Trickster has been defeated!

With a single swoop and light so very targeted, she hits the Trickster straight on. All those failures really did pay off. She stands in awe as the phantom dissipates from her sight, leaving nothing behind but the girl’s magical abilities and an axe lying on the ground near her shoes.

“I did it..! That’s how it’s done.”

@primaeverra​

[bloomstride]

together we fight​​​​​​​​​​

primaeverra​:

The scream of pain makes Mae’s blood run cold as ice. She rushes over, putting herself in between her best friend and their foes. They won’t hurt Celica any longer - she absolutely will not allow it. It’s not duty that compels her to take such a stance but loyalty. Celica is her closest confidant, her best friend in the whole world. Seeing her in pain cuts deeply - she’d rather take the blows herself than watch her steadfast. radiant friend fall like this.

Her anger bubbles up in her chest, wild and uncontrollable like the magic she’s about to cast. She’s enraged - not giving the spell proper thought and finesse. Darkness coagulates around her hands in jet black, jagged spikes. Sharp and vicious, Mae lets them erupt from her hands at the Paladin’s feet. Keep away from her! He’s blasted backwards, his horse balking in pain, contorted and furious. Both man and steed, illusions though they maybe, are barely hanging on.

“Pretty great, right?” Mae grins proudly, turning to Celica. Her eyes soften, no trace of anger left behind. She reaches out a hand to pull her friend back to her feet. “Now, let’s go get you healed up, alright?”

Amateur mistake. Never ever turn your back on an enemy.

By the time she hears it coming, it’s already too late. The paladin’s lance pierces her back twice in quick succession. Bloodied and bruised she staggers forwards, loses her balance and lands on her knees.

“Go!” Mae croaks out as she tries to get back up on her feet. Her breath comes out ragged and her smile is more of a grimace. “Don’t be crazy, Celica. I’m peachy. J-just winded. Go!”

Mae attacks Paladin for 2.5 damage. 0.5/10 HP remaining. Paladin attacks Mae for 5 damage. 2.5/10 HP remaining

@bloomstride

As disappointed as she is with her own failures, her attention casts quickly from the missing magic to the striking attacks again her teammates. There is no book among the countless shelves that can truly prepare one for battle, no matter how many strategies and formulas she’s come to memorize.

That’s right-- She can’t just stand by and do nothing. She may have embarrassed herself with her offensive magic, but she needs to summon a healing spell properly. Annette recalls the advice she’s been given, taking a deep breath and firming her stance as much as she’s able. She can’t mess up a fourth time, finding herself in arms length of Celica after her brutal encounter. Her and Mae were looking worse for wear and Annette knows it’s best for her to help first and foremost.

The warm, bright light she’s felt many times cast upon herself now leaves the aspiring mage’s own fingers and heals Celica. Unlike the lightning spell, it’s pure and ready. It listens to her.

Annette heals Celica for +6 HP. Celica at 8/10.

“How was that? You’re right. Staying calm really was the key,” she says with a tiny laugh. Still, her gaze glances between Celica, Mae, and Marianne as she readies herself for whatever might come next. There’s no way she can predict what will happen, but what she does know is she wants to keep on trying.

@cruelsfate​