safeguard.

#toaball2024 #t: people watching with my homie from anime france #eliwood.....u can be from anime france #take our citizenship test..#eliwood tag tbd.

louis laughs - carefree & pleasant. forever is there a lilt of gentleness to his tone, amplified by the silence that persists after. a warm invitation, an unspoken, 'go on ! speak !'. listener, listener, listener. that is what louis was, and what he enjoyed to be.

fingers pierce apple piece with toothpick, bringing it to his mouth and biting down. juicy. sweet. not as great as what he knew in the warmth of firene, but ultimately acceptable. a resounding sign of a farmers toil. he was grateful.

he was also, in comparison to others, decently underdressed.

"aah, really ? i myself am a commoner, you see," he eventually speaks. "though i've spent plenty of time in the presence of royalty, well, it is more often that i am the ones seeing their wonderful form of dress than putting it on myself !"

he plucks a live flower from his corsage, and tucks it into eliwoods hand. "place this behind your ear. how wonderfully flashy that would be. would that assist your dilemma, my friend?"

obsidiendo

𝘸𝘦'𝘳𝘦 𝘨𝘰𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘰 𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘦 𝘶𝘱 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘤𝘰𝘰𝘭 𝘱𝘪𝘳𝘢𝘵𝘦 𝘯𝘢𝘮𝘦𝘴, 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘬𝘯𝘰𝘸

[SHOWCASE] - Heavy Armor+1, Duessel & Louis

obsidiendo

The margraviate of House Edmund emphasizes fair use of its personal harbors, allowing for trade to flourish and build its margrave into one of the Alliance’s leading men. However, such success inevitably catches the eye of the pirates swirling around its many islands. With such scoundrels, Sreng, and even the Almyran Navy all close by, Margrave Edmund has used his fortunes to build what he boasts to be the most fortified and intimidating sea vessels that have ever graced this earth all in the name of protecting his mercantile utopia. He is so confident in their glory that he invites those staying on his lands to take a joy ride out to the nearby waters and take out a few pirates themselves, if they so please! [Grants Heavy Armor +1]

Duessel prefers the earth. Solid -- most of the time -- and though her moods might change and rocks might shift she is for the most part steady. The connection between man and the dirt beneath him is something that Duessel not only respects -- but cherishes.

So one might be able to say that he is not particularly fond of sailing. Despite that, there have been issues with pirates as of late. He does not see the point in such an act of arrogance as to invite people to see these brigands, or to play pretend at seasoned soldiers, but that is not the point. Because there are so many who wish to 'pretend' for the day, Duessel feels it is his responsibility to chaperone.

He's glad that Louis is here as well. The student he chased through the woods -- someone he thinks makes a wonderful knight, and has others' best interests at heart.

"What are your thoughts on the matter?" he asks, voice low as the ship leaves harbor. "Do you think we'll be face to face with pirates, or is this all a rouse to attract more patrons?"

@etrefleurbleues

#•┈┈ ˚｡⋆ duessel.#t: 𝘸𝘦'𝘳𝘦 𝘨𝘰𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘰 𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘦 𝘶𝘱 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘤𝘰𝘰𝘭 𝘱𝘪𝘳𝘢𝘵𝘦 𝘯𝘢𝘮𝘦𝘴 #I WANT TO BE SOMEHTING COOL.. DUESSEL!!#in character tag tba

" oh ? well, that's a tricky question. perhaps both ? a touch morbid, if you ask me, " louis feels the wood shift beneath his feet, blinking slowly at the unsteadiness of the vessel. those inclined with heavier armor tend to mind themselves in the open waters, he thinks. and yet, louis is forever one to cherish a new experience, and so he smiles. "but i would quite like to protect the ones . . . who are not fighters. if we fall into trouble, i suppose it would come down to us for their defense."

hand plucks an apple from the free-use crate beside them, and splits it in two, passing it to duessel. "my hands are clean, don't worry," louis is quick to add, before biting down into the fruit. not as fresh as he'd like, but who knows if scurvy could activate in a matter of hours? (it couldn't.). "professor duessel. my home has a wonderful port ! though we need to ah . . . make repairs, after some incidents, i vowed to assist in rebuilding it myself. i think, learning of vessels and the like would help me on my quest."

at that, he scans the area. "would you be so kind in helping me ? this isn't a hobby i do with others, but i enjoy hearing alternative perspectives," head cocks to the side, and he nods towards a man standing some whiles away from them. boasting, using magic to create a spectacle, collecting coins in a small box beneath his feet. pushing others, sometimes, to pay a little extra. "how would you describe him?"

*bonnie tyler voice* i need a hero *griss ominously walks out of the shadows* *scary music plays*

#•┈┈ ˚｡⋆ in character.#t: *bonnie tyler voice* i need a hero *griss ominously walks out of the shadows* *scary music plays*#SORRY THIS TOOK AWHILE #im on vacation now so lets go hog mode #•┈┈ ˚｡⋆ griss.

louis had few encounters with griss. really, barely any - the two were cut from different cloth, stood on opposite pages of history, maintained entirely different decorums and the like. to others, both louis and griss maintained their eccentricities & oddities, and for that alone, they bore some similarities.

louis is grateful for his people watching. the perks that came with it enabled him quite a few things - and that is being somewhat aware of the schedules of those who pique his attention.

yet, the retainer hadn't a magical bone in his body. griss had quite a few - maybe ones griss liked to snap, break and pull apart, but magical nonetheless.

in the bustle of the festival, louis lightly taps griss on the shoulder. "why , hello , griss ! you and i have yet to truly make one anothers acquaintance, no? but to my recollection, what a wonderful plethora of magic you have at your disposal," eyes look around the shows of sorcery going on about, and he presents the hound a confident look. "does it not concern you our academy may lose students to other magical acts ? or maybe, they will find our performances so very bland that they're discouraged and turn away from sorcery themselves ? i do think it would be dire to have our friends depart..."

but would griss be one to jump at an act of charity like that ? louis doesn't know him well enough. to his side is a hexlock shield, one in which he hoists in front of griss. "maybe we could do a spectacle of our own, to demonstrate the wonderous spells the monastery can perform !"

@twistedisciple, for +1 reason!

i hit the juckport 1 trillion$

obsidiendo

"Punishment?" This is the first time that Duessel has heard of such a thing. It's a bit unnerving, if he's to be honest; he'll need to speak with the other professors about that.

The lance is raised and Duessel shakes his head. He does not reach for his weapon. "No, not today, boy. We will not fight with what we are accustomed to fighting with."

With that, he tosses an iron sword towards Louis' feet. It makes an awkward clanking sound, and Duessel draws his own. He is not as well versed in the art of swordplay ( he has often found it to be inferior to the lance ), but that should make for a fair duel.

And this could be a learning opportunity for the both of them. Duessel, in how to judge a student based on their innate skill and their ability to make quick judgement calls, and for Louis on his quick thinking.

"I will not punish you, eventually you would be caught. I will give you until the count of one hundred -- get as far as you can, and when I catch you again we will duel. How does that sound for this exercise?"

#•┈┈ ˚｡⋆ in character.#•┈┈ ˚｡⋆ duessel.#t: i hit the juckport 1 trillion$#LOL

" well, i had heard the finale would be that if you are caught, there is a surprise, no ? i suppose i misunderstood," louis picks the sword from the ground, inspecting it closely. aah, he has never particularly cared much for swords. not that he disliked them he just didn't use them as much. they lacked umph. they lacked range. nonetheless, he has used them, a little while ago. it has been some time, however. "very well, professor. i will run the very best i can !"

the weight is foreign in his hands for a moment, and louis steadies his grip. "i have used these before. though, it has been some time," he responds. "more often than not, i far preferred lances and axes. so this will most definitely be exciting!"

at that, he turns on his heels to run. "be seeing you, then."

roll to run : 1d20 = 1.

as soon as he moves to go further into the grounds before them, he . . . trips, on a stray root, falling face first into the muddied ground. thankfully, louis had the instinct to push his arm outwards - so to maintain his grip on his sword ( never to be disarmed ! ) but not fall directly onto it. "ack -- !"

though, he has no reservations in standing up again. there is mud caked on his face. he begins to run again, rotating his ankle before he departs.

roll for distance : 1d20, 15.

rozyrne

𝐓𝐇𝐑𝐄𝐄 𝐂𝐇𝐄𝐄𝐑𝐒 𝐅𝐎𝐑 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐆𝐎𝐋𝐃𝐄𝐍 𝐃𝐄𝐄𝐑 !

rivalries are put aside, and camaraderie takes their place. and for the golden deer, pulling neck and neck with the eagles and lions despite having the fewest contestants in the ring is all the reason to celebrate! or so rosado and hortensia thought. at the post-tournament grand banquet, the elusian pair have set up a golden deer corner, complete with yellow and cervid decor and drapery, and both hosts arrayed in house colors and face paint. "three cheers for knoll! three cheers for hilda! three cheers for eliwood!" "fear the deer!" a celebration lifting up the class heroes who'd carried them from underdog into the spotlight, and for all the deer who cleared the way valiantly to let them get there: —hip-hip hooray!

FOOD & DRINK:

— CUPCAKE DECORATING ╱ from yellow-sugar icing to pretzel antlers to cookie toppings shaped like deer, there's no shortage of supplies to make your cupcakes look any which way you want.

— CARAMEL MERINGUES ╱ a triple layer of chocolate and caramel in glass containers, tied off with a bit of string attached to a spoon. perfect to grab and take with you, or feed to a loved one.

— DOE POPS ╱ cake pops shaped like deer heads! and something sticking out of each one. a paper fortune? what does yours say?

— GOLDEN SPICE CIDER ╱ a warm and buzzy autumnal drink, perfect for the season and sure to banish any chills. both alcoholic and non-alcoholic varieties available.

— CROUCHING CHOCOLATE, HIDDEN STAG ╱ a culinary minigame? a table is arranged with a terrarium-like miniature woodland display, complete with moss, trees, golden deer flags, and a herd of deer themselves. one item in this display is made of chocolate. how many things are you willing to bite to find which one it is?

ARTS & CRAFTS:

— THIRTY-POINT CROWN ╱ craft your own glorious headpiece with paint, twigs, and twine to show off your deer pride! who can boast the most impressive rack? ( of antlers, duh. what were you thinking? )

— WOOD CARVING ╱ for the dexterous and crafts-minded, a setup with display and instructions to carve your own wooden deer to take home. organizers are not responsible for injuries.

— DEERLY BELOVED ╱ a stack of deer-shaped paper and pens greet you. "write a compliment and stick it onto its recipient!" the instructions say. if you're fast, maybe they won't even know it's you.

— READY-TO-PAINT CERAMICS ╱ a station of unfired bowls and plates and small vases invites you to decorate them however you want! several stencils are provided for the uninitiated, or you can go where your hart takes you.

— DECORATE A FRIEND ╱ from washable paint to stick-on sequins, glitter bombs and pinnable deer tails. find a willing victim to array in deer spirit — or make one.

GAMES:

— FÓDLAN CHESS ╱ a traditional strategy board game using a triangle-shaped board that can be played by two to three people. the objective is to be the first to move all your pieces to one of the other corners by jumping over your opponents' pieces. are you up for the competition?

— LIMBO ╱ everyone knows that being a deer isn't just about strength or smarts, but flexibility. challenge mode: wear an antler crown while playing, and don't let it fall off your head!

— ANTLER TOSS ╱ you have five tries to land as many rings on the tines as you can for a prize. if a friend is willing, they can wear the antlers on their head for you to aim at instead!

— DEER PONG ╱ the classic party game, with alcoholic and non-alcoholic versions. some say that the non-alcoholic one misses the point of the challenge, but at least it lets everyone play, right?

— HEADLOCK ╱ in a classic show of strength, stamina, and bravado, it's time to wrestle like the stags do! put on a headdress of real oaken antlers ( not light, that ) and lock heads with your opponent to throw them to the ground! no use of other body parts or implements allowed.

GUIDELINES:

reblog this ask meme to indicate that your muse is participating! anyone who's reblogged the meme is automatically accepting asks, so no need to double-check. 　

please be mindful of not only waiting for interactions to come to you, but try to be proactive about sending to others too. it's not quite polite to always expect others to do the work! 　

muses from any house are welcome! it's a celebration meant for everyone. 　

this is still narratively part of BOEL, but to keep things separate from the BOEL tags, you may use the tag #GDPride2024 for related posts if you wish!

#IM TRYING 2 SWEND SOME TO EVERYONE. I WILL CONTINUE DOWN THE LIST ASAP.#ask meme i frogot my tag. lol!

"It's Louis, right?" Altena isn't quite sure how to approach the student that managed to take her down. She was impressed with his strength and his resolve but she was impressed, too, with the bonds he shared with his teammates. Part of her would like to tell him. Would like to share exactly how moved she'd been watching.

But that feels far too intimate and too personal.

Instead, she aims for a different approach stumbling awkwardly over her words as she makes an attempt at being sort of friendly. "That shield you had out there was pretty neat. I've thought about training with one while I'm here but I didn't realize they could be so effective against magic."

altena ! a valiant fighter. her bravery was most notable, although, her throwing arm was something fierce. for every blow she struck, it was as if she had never lost even the slightest of energy. with every hoist of the axe backwards, louis was always certain she would strike ( and that it would honestly hurt ! ). "yes, indeed, louis! altena, no? a pleasure."

but that is a draw to louis. her passion for combat, her determination to win. what a wonderful thing it is, to spar with those he would have never met prior, to learn of their stories through their blades alone. maybe he had begun to understand kagetsu ever so slightly - but not so much to get stronger, but rather, see what motivates them to fight.

at her word, he hoists up his hexlock shield, leaning it towards her to hold. "you are more than welcome to try it for size," at that, he slightly spins it, revealing to her the inner arm-strap. "you slip your forearm beneath here, and grab onto the metal bar here. the start of getting used to a new shield makes it quite difficult to aim against incoming attacks, but then it becomes a second flesh!"

he points towards the loosening and tightening bands. "you see, mages are quite troublesome to me. they rip through my armor like butter. but this shield is rather useful for that. why, it is particularly useless for melee attacks, but..." a laugh weaves into his words. he speaks to altena as if she is already his friend. "that is why i have my armor, in the end."

#•┈┈ ˚｡⋆ in character.#•┈┈ ˚｡⋆ altena.#MISS ALTENAAAAAAAAA #I LOVE YOU I LOVE YOIUUUUUUU

*bonnie tyler voice* i need a hero *griss ominously walks out of the shadows* *scary music plays*

#•┈┈ ˚｡⋆ in character.#t: *bonnie tyler voice* i need a hero *griss ominously walks out of the shadows* *scary music plays*

He's sheepish in his approach, but Dimitri extends his hand with his back straight and his chest out regardless.

"You did amazingly, Louis. I know that we were bested in the end, but it is clear that you put your heart into the battle, and none could have asked for more from you. You...you really did our house proud, and I am honored to have fought by your side."

He wants to apologize - for his poor performance, for his poor direction - but it doesn't have a place here, at the moment. Not when Louis had truly stood strong, the wall that the Golden Deer had crashed against.

"I can only hope I have the privilege of fighting alongside you in the future. Thank you, Louis, for lending me your strength today."

"well, if it isn't the blue lions shining star having come to visit me ! a pleasure, prince dimitri," louis looks from where he has sat, grass dirtying pantlegs & busted lip to boot - the damage was far from grievous, but he had most certainly found himself roughed up from the hands of the golden deer. "i could not have come as far without your aid."

he stands up to see dimitri, eye to eye. "hmm . . . were we truly bested, though ?" face falls into a moments thought, before he shakes his head in disagreement. "perhaps physically, my friend. but from what i observed, i sincerely believe our mutual displays of bonds and care allowed us to triumph in some other ways. we fought as if we were the best of friends, and such is enough to inspire the other blue lions to imitate us."

it was not that louis was a sore loser - far from it, he had babbled on how wonderful it was to trade blow-to-blow with the golden deer. how he had given it his all, how he couldn't of done anything even harder, and he lost fair and square. a commendation of the ' enemies ' skillset. "it is through your instruction that we all managed to excel greatly. we'd have not been able to do it without you."

at that, he looks dimitri over. was he truly walking around after such a tough battle ? "please, allow me to accompany you to visit the other blue lions. things are far better done in pairs."

dimitri ought not to go to every single blue lion alone and ( assumedly ) mention that, 'though you lost, you did great !'. it sounds a little morale-busting for the house leader, the armored knight presumes.

"if you will allow me, then i would be honored to fight by your side once more," at that, he takes dimitris hand with a firm shake, tracking slight bits of mud onto his gloves. unfortunate. "it would be my greatest happiness to be your shield, come our skirmishes or future forays into battle."

#•┈┈ ˚｡⋆ in character.#DIMITRIIIII I WUV U I WUVUV VYOU

She could wait. She could stand there and see if Louis continues to prolong the battle. She could let Knoll continue to chip away at his shield. But she knows if Louis turns his attention toward the mage, Knoll will fall.

She really doesn't want to end this just standing there.

"Let's end this." Altena approaches Louis, axe at the ready. Whoever manages to strike first will be the victor here. She's sure he realizes this as well. He is armored and slow but she is injured.

His lance pierces through her shoulder and she drops her axe. As she finally sinks to her knees, she catches a glimpse of Dimitri waving his banner proudly and cheering for his classmate. She can't help but wonder, if her friends had been here instead of home in Thracia, would any of them cheer like that for her?

Altena is defeated by the power of friendship!

@pryings @etrefleurbleues

at that, louis paces left. it's just him and knoll now.

as he watches altena depart, he nods. what a valiant fighter ! and then there remained two.

"very well," louis says. "shall we finish this?"

louis rotates left.

knoll grips his tome tigheter as louis approaches.

there is nothing he hates more than a standoff, preferring dark corners and obscured viewpoints.

still, come what may, this fight has been a delight.

"yes. we shall."

knoll forefits his turn !

the air is tense. louis smiles warmly at knoll.

"at your mark," is all he says. "knoll."

louis forfeits his turn !

knoll sizes him up. oh, it will take rather a lot to get through that shield. does he have a lot?

Knoll 2/6 HP hits Louis 1/6HP with Miasma [Roll: 18, -0.5HP] Louis 0.5/6HP

he does not, in fact, have a lot. still, he will give it what he has. louis seems to be waiting for something. it all comes down to this, then.

if he can get one more hit in before louis turns that lance on him, then...

Knoll 2/6 HP hits Louis 0.5/6HP with Miasma [Roll: 18, -0.5HP] Louis 0/6HP

knoll sighs with relief, and slumps to the ground.

"sir louis... let me walk you to the medical tent."

#THANK YOU EVERYONE THIS BATTLE WAS AMAZING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!#THATS A WRAP!!!!!!!!!#all knoll stuff has been discussed with rory privately #in character tag tba tumblrs fuckin up #toaboel2024

the inky blackness is overwhelming, in how it coils around his armor and seeps into the openings of it. miasma is constricting - it takes his breath away ( quite literally ! ) every time it is casted upon him.

louis can hold on ! he really can !

but then, as the true force of the spell hit - there is quite a bit of a bite to it. he cannot help but instinctively buckle his knees, almost falling forward if not for the way he uses his lance to prop himself up with a stagger. louis takes a deep breath, sweat beading down his head.

"i . . ." he wipes it from his forehead, before sliding his hands down onto his lance and slumping onto the ground with a laugh. dropping it, steel hits the ground beside him, and louis leans backwards to gaze at the sky. he has lost. the blue lions have lost. . . and yet, he feels overjoyed. beaming with happiness, even. "i believe i am truly at my limit. forgive me, blue lions, but knoll has beat me fair and square."

he takes a moment to catch his breath, and starts anew. "i forfeit."

what a beautiful sky. what a nice feeling in his chest. what terrific friendships he has made today. hand unclasps the heavy armor from his chest, and it falls to the side, leaving his exposed uniform now covered in dirt and the like. "knoll. thank you! i had so much fun," and it is spoken with sincerity, as he slowly stands with a stagger, grabbing his breastplate. he extends his free arm for knoll to take - if he wants to walk him to the med tent, who is louis to deny? "it would be my honor to be escorted by you. . . "

he spares no time to even think about uttering the next words. he means them. "my friend."

at that, come knolls presence, he knows not to lean too much of his weight against him. knoll seems worse for wear himself, and it is no lie that louis is rather heavy.

the two walk off of the field, arm in arm, dirtied and partially bloodied.

but louis is smiling, laughing, even. likely talking about his highlights of the battle.

and most importantly, louis is happy. satisfied. perhaps next year he will try again, but he can say with pride and certainty that he gave this battle everything he possibly had. his loss was fair and square.

and now, he had new friends to come out if it too.

louis is defeated ! congratulations to the golden deer victory !

She could wait. She could stand there and see if Louis continues to prolong the battle. She could let Knoll continue to chip away at his shield. But she knows if Louis turns his attention toward the mage, Knoll will fall.

She really doesn't want to end this just standing there.

"Let's end this." Altena approaches Louis, axe at the ready. Whoever manages to strike first will be the victor here. She's sure he realizes this as well. He is armored and slow but she is injured.

His lance pierces through her shoulder and she drops her axe. As she finally sinks to her knees, she catches a glimpse of Dimitri waving his banner proudly and cheering for his classmate. She can't help but wonder, if her friends had been here instead of home in Thracia, would any of them cheer like that for her?

Altena is defeated by the power of friendship!

@pryings @etrefleurbleues

at that, louis paces left. it's just him and knoll now.

as he watches altena depart, he nods. what a valiant fighter ! and then there remained two.

"very well," louis says. "shall we finish this?"

louis rotates left.

knoll grips his tome tigheter as louis approaches.

there is nothing he hates more than a standoff, preferring dark corners and obscured viewpoints.

still, come what may, this fight has been a delight.

"yes. we shall."

knoll forefits his turn !

#toaboel2024 #•┈┈ ˚｡⋆ in character.

the air is tense. louis smiles warmly at knoll.

"at your mark," is all he says. "knoll."

louis forfeits his turn !

blaiddllodi

Dimitri watched with some helplessness after Altena's axe had taken the breath from him. His coughing fit abated, he found his head swimming, and though he wanted so desperately to fight for one final push, just to do something, just to give his Lions one final chance - ! he knew equally that he must allow the healers to guide him from the field to the medical tent.

He saw the young children who had followed him in the bushes, their curious eyes peering out, and he offered them a bright smile, and a small wave, coaxing them from their hiding place, urging them to a place of better safety.

But their eyes remained on him - bright, and wide, and though he knew they were not disappointed, were they? were they expecting him to be better? he finally felt a glumness settle in his chest.

Turning in the healer's grip, Dimitri raised his chin, chest out, and called, "Don't give up, Louis! The fate of the Blue Lions is in your hands!"

And from his pocket he took the wrinkled, folded and worn poster of the sickly lion, and waved it like the staunchest field banner fluttering against the sky from the War of Eagle and Lion, all those hundreds of years ago.

dimitri was down, too, now. for a moment, the field before him seems so large - the departure of his friends was felt. and no matter how he holds to his shield, there is the ominous threat of two against one. it was a little daunting, really, to know that it was ( in this moment ) just him.

but . . . he did not feel alone. to see the remnants of what veyle has achieved in her skilful casting, the bite of dimitris lance & the intervention of youths - louis was far from trucking this by himself.

but it is dimitri waving the drawing that makes a genuine look of shock dawn on his face. it took a fair bit to have louis truly surprised, mouth agape ever so slightly, eyes open, the prominence of his shock is shown. "you . . ." his voice falters a minute, head whipping towards dimitri. for all his people-seeing, this caught him by surprise. "prince dimitri . . . you kept it !"

the end of his sentence remains a joyful laugh, enthusiasm and hope at the sight of his class leader waving the drawing. "all this time, you kept what i made onto you," and slowly does louis turn back to facing altena. "prince dimitri . . . veyle . . . i promise to put all i have into this battle. thank you."

at that, he marches towards altena once more, readying his lance.

propelling the spear forward, he feels it connect with altena. muscles falter a moment ( the shoulder she had struck with the axe ! bruised , what a good throw ! ) and at that does he briefly frown. in his mind he thinks of the sickly lion he drew - but is instilled with the same pride and hope in which he maintained for many things before. the prosperity of firene, the success of his friends by alears side, and now for a hopeful win of a house he has come to love. it is enough to have him muster the strength to just go a little further, just a little stronger, just a little more.

and he manages, just barely, but he manages nonetheless.

"altena . . . it was a pleasure to fight with you," he muses, before returning to his position. "knoll, it appears it is just you and i now ! a mage and an armored knight. aah, how thrilling!"

Louis 1/6HP hits Altena 0.5/5HP with Steel Lance [Roll: 6, -1] Altena 0/5HP. Altena is defeated!

She could wait. She could stand there and see if Louis continues to prolong the battle. She could let Knoll continue to chip away at his shield. But she knows if Louis turns his attention toward the mage, Knoll will fall.

She really doesn't want to end this just standing there.

"Let's end this." Altena approaches Louis, axe at the ready. Whoever manages to strike first will be the victor here. She's sure he realizes this as well. He is armored and slow but she is injured.

His lance pierces through her shoulder and she drops her axe. As she finally sinks to her knees, she catches a glimpse of Dimitri waving his banner proudly and cheering for his classmate. She can't help but wonder, if her friends had been here instead of home in Thracia, would any of them cheer like that for her?

Altena is defeated by the power of friendship!

@pryings @etrefleurbleues

#toaboel2024 #•┈┈ ˚｡⋆ in character.

at that, louis paces left. it's just him and knoll now.

as he watches altena depart, he nods. what a valiant fighter ! and then there remained two.

"very well," louis says. "shall we finish this?"

louis rotates left.

blaiddllodi

Dimitri watched with some helplessness after Altena's axe had taken the breath from him. His coughing fit abated, he found his head swimming, and though he wanted so desperately to fight for one final push, just to do something, just to give his Lions one final chance - ! he knew equally that he must allow the healers to guide him from the field to the medical tent.

He saw the young children who had followed him in the bushes, their curious eyes peering out, and he offered them a bright smile, and a small wave, coaxing them from their hiding place, urging them to a place of better safety.

But their eyes remained on him - bright, and wide, and though he knew they were not disappointed, were they? were they expecting him to be better? he finally felt a glumness settle in his chest.

Turning in the healer's grip, Dimitri raised his chin, chest out, and called, "Don't give up, Louis! The fate of the Blue Lions is in your hands!"

And from his pocket he took the wrinkled, folded and worn poster of the sickly lion, and waved it like the staunchest field banner fluttering against the sky from the War of Eagle and Lion, all those hundreds of years ago.

#•┈┈ ˚｡⋆ in character.#CRYIGJN AND GETTING EMOTIONAL DIMITRI #SURPRISE......IM FUCVKING BACK.#AHHHHHHHH

dimitri was down, too, now. for a moment, the field before him seems so large - the departure of his friends was felt. and no matter how he holds to his shield, there is the ominous threat of two against one. it was a little daunting, really, to know that it was ( in this moment ) just him.

but . . . he did not feel alone. to see the remnants of what veyle has achieved in her skilful casting, the bite of dimitris lance & the intervention of youths - louis was far from trucking this by himself.

but it is dimitri waving the drawing that makes a genuine look of shock dawn on his face. it took a fair bit to have louis truly surprised, mouth agape ever so slightly, eyes open, the prominence of his shock is shown. "you . . ." his voice falters a minute, head whipping towards dimitri. for all his people-seeing, this caught him by surprise. "prince dimitri . . . you kept it !"

the end of his sentence remains a joyful laugh, enthusiasm and hope at the sight of his class leader waving the drawing. "all this time, you kept what i made onto you," and slowly does louis turn back to facing altena. "prince dimitri . . . veyle . . . i promise to put all i have into this battle. thank you."

at that, he marches towards altena once more, readying his lance.

propelling the spear forward, he feels it connect with altena. muscles falter a moment ( the shoulder she had struck with the axe ! bruised , what a good throw ! ) and at that does he briefly frown. in his mind he thinks of the sickly lion he drew - but is instilled with the same pride and hope in which he maintained for many things before. the prosperity of firene, the success of his friends by alears side, and now for a hopeful win of a house he has come to love. it is enough to have him muster the strength to just go a little further, just a little stronger, just a little more.

and he manages, just barely, but he manages nonetheless.

"altena . . . it was a pleasure to fight with you," he muses, before returning to his position. "knoll, it appears it is just you and i now ! a mage and an armored knight. aah, how thrilling!"

Louis 1/6HP hits Altena 0.5/5HP with Steel Lance [Roll: 6, -1] Altena 0/5HP. Altena is defeated!

the miasma strikes him, and louis feels the biting coolness engulf him once more - trailing up his neck and seeping into his armor, to the bone. it doesn't hurt as much as it is a small annoyance, but he can feel the energy sap from him as knoll does so.

he readies his shield, watching the dark essence converge around it and splinter as it makes contact. louis remains where hes standing, and eyes settle on altena.

now, he had to get a read on her. . .

hmmm . . . she was harder to read than knoll. "i forfeit my turn !" he calls again, allowing altenas words to fall from his shoulders and onto the ground. "please resume your assault on me."

he can feel some students eyes rip into him ever so slightly. not out of distaste or annoyance, but rather, confusion.

Louis forfeits his turn ! again.

it seems louis is determined to—draw this out. well, better than going down easy. there's something more respectable in this, he must concede.

knoll has an idea, though. it carries with it a bit of risk, so he hopes that altena does not think him mad for trying it.

"lady altena, take my position," he calls, stepping aside for her to move to where he was standing.

Knoll 2/6HP rotates the Golden Deer to the right

"i think you're strong enough to defend yourself against him. it may open up an opportunity."

@etrefleurbleues home stretch !!

well, it was now or never. an opening had arisen, and it was either take it or slowly be wittled down step by step from knoll. louis had spend the last two turns forfeiting, and maybe they had grown used to it.

he exhales through his nose. this has been greatly fun, but he cannot take much more - even another singular blow may be enough for him to clock out ( oh it most definitely was ! ). this was no battle to the death, and how wonderful it was to have a thrilling end.

he raises his lance in the air. "and so our chorus has begun to reach its end . . . !" if he could strike hard enough, through the sheer grace of luck, he could take altena down. louis was always the type to see the glass half full, anyway.

at that, he moves towards altena with as much speed one could muster in his position - before piercing at her with the extended tail-end of his lance. as soon as it makes contact, louis knows, that this hit was simply not strong enough. ah well. he wasn't forfeiting until he had to.

Louis 1/6HP hits Altena 1.5/5HP with Steel Lance [Roll: 6, -1] Altena 0.5/5HP

twirling it in his hand, louis takes a short few paces back, and positions himself in a guarded stance. "well ! you positively must tell me the secrets behind that throwing arm of yours sometime," javelins were thrown too ! additional advice never went astray. "i am terribly impressed!"

@luminousrider

#toaboel2024

Knoll's strategy makes sense. She knows her strength lies in her ability to tank a hit and so she waits. She stands her ground and prepares herself for another lance attack.

Altena 1.5/5HP stands there…. Menacingly…and forfeits her turn

But he makes no move to come near her. It's a strategy she's seen before and she's had to fight through plenty of enemies that avoid her in favor of her allies knowing that their attacks would do little damage against her defenses. And yet, Louis doesn't move toward Knoll either.

"Hitting you while you're just standing there is hardly fair. If I wanted a stationary target I would have gone to the training room!"

@pryings

knoll's brow furrows at the way louis stays rooted in place. there's value to this strategy, he thinks, or at least if louis is doing what he thinks he's doing there is.

he will not move, however, lest he place himself in harm's way. instead, and he knows it is not sporting, he opens his tome and turns to another page, striking as decisively as he can.

Knoll 2/6HP hits Louis 1.5/6HP with Miasma [Roll: 15, -0.5] Louis 1/6HP

it does as little as his previous attacks. oh, that shield is such a hassle. louis was clever to take it, though it leaves him wide open to altena's axe...

"such resilience..."

@etrefleurbleues

#the altena analysis nears. erica dm me some habits of hers oomf that louis could see if comfy #•┈┈ ˚｡⋆ in character.

the miasma strikes him, and louis feels the biting coolness engulf him once more - trailing up his neck and seeping into his armor, to the bone. it doesn't hurt as much as it is a small annoyance, but he can feel the energy sap from him as knoll does so.

he readies his shield, watching the dark essence converge around it and splinter as it makes contact. louis remains where hes standing, and eyes settle on altena.

now, he had to get a read on her. . .

hmmm . . . she was harder to read than knoll. "i forfeit my turn !" he calls again, allowing altenas words to fall from his shoulders and onto the ground. "please resume your assault on me."

he can feel some students eyes rip into him ever so slightly. not out of distaste or annoyance, but rather, confusion.

Louis forfeits his turn ! again.

Louis's lance attacks are no joke and Altena is forced to grimace through the pain. To stand tall through her exhaustion. But she cannot yield yet and she cannot let her opponent see her weakness.

"Don't worry about me," she reassures Knoll. "I will not go down easy."

Altena 1.5/5HP hits Louis 3.5/6HP with Hand Axe [Roll: 8] Louis 1.5/6HP

Another axe is thrown and another axe hits its mark. She has come a long way from throwing hatchets at tree trunks dressed in a ball gown.

@pryings

"no... you certainly won't, will you?" he asks, more to himself than to her, like he's considering something.

his choice of team to ally himself seems well-made ( ignoring the fact that he only joined as a favor to a friend in the first place ) and he's pleased with the good sportsmanship of his opponents as well.

Knoll 2/6HP rotates the Golden Deer to the left

"keep at it. perhaps if we move... this way?" he suggests, moving over so that she could in turn move out of the way. "make him come to us."

@etrefleurbleues

#toaboel2024 #•┈┈ ˚｡⋆ IN CHARACTER.#he had nothign to do so i .so i .yeah #my apolocheese he says #all knoll stuff was confirmed with rory #long post but its jsut him mumbling because he had nothing else to do

oh ! they were talking amongst themselves. he watches as the golden deer shuffle, and stands there. wind whips at his face lightly, fluffy hair gently moving in the breeze.

there wasn't much he could do, honestly. but he'd hate to interrupt them talking, and so he . . . well.

in typical louis fashion, he watches. quietly, with happiness to take a moment to indulge in his most favorite hobby. were this a warzone, he would never allow himself the joy, but what was he to do?

right, let's see.

knoll fidgets when he turns the pages of his tome. the way in which he moves his hand indicates as if it's stiff, or achy. head tilts to the side, and louis visibly seems to fixate on his mannerisms for a moment. oh, he has a hunch too. was that from all those days reading library books and sitting in a poor chair?

knoll also persists in casting, despite the presumed irritation it must do to his hands, and louis finds that to be noble. what a dedicated fellow. more time passes, and louis is still standing there - lance against the ground and the same stationary smile plastered on his expression.

is it arthritis? wrist ache from repetitive motion? instinctively, louis mimics the motions knoll does with his tome. not from mockery, but rather to see if it adds some pressure on his own joints. no, it doesn't. so it must be from repetitive use. a repetitive strain injury?

knoll looks scared to be here. oh! well, that's just how knoll always look. he must not be the sociable type. the way in how he murmurs to altena demonstrates a decent respect for her capability ( good ! the dull ache in his shoulder shows she's good at what she does ! ). but there is an air of unfamiliarity to them two - they must not have interacted much.

head tilts to the side, and louis' expression pulls into something of deep thought. anyone who knew him would know ( colloquially speaking ) that he is ' back on his bullshit '.

"aah . . . repetitive strain injury maybe . . ." he mumbles to himself. "knoll must be a seasoned mage. mages are bookish, so perhaps that is why he is a librarian. did the injury make him not want to be a professor here ? maybe he likes the quietness and introversion a library provides . . ."

mumble, mumble.

"but i do wonder what has lead him to the golden deer today--" louis pauses. he's been watching them for awhile now, and they're waiting at him. he laughs, airy and kind, dismissive wave to boot. "my apologies! i grew distracted on something. i forfeit my turn. please proceed in hitting me now, if desired!"

Louis forfeits his turn!

misericordel-deactivated2025031

Their opponents work well together. Too well. Altena can't help but wonder if they've fought like this together before. It's dangerous.

Edward is forced to retreat and the two teams are even once more.

Altena turns toward Veyle again. This time, she won't miss. She can't afford any more misses.

"I can't let you get away with that but I will give you one chance to stand down before I cut you down."

Altena 2.5/5HP hits Veyle 1/5HP with Hand Axe [Roll: 19 - 2 = 17 -4HP]

Veyle 0/5HP

Veyle is defeated!

The Blue Lions are down to one remaining fighter but the battle is not yet won.

"Knoll! Keep pressing forward! We can do this!"

@misericordel

altena, the one with the axe that had ended up taking dimitri down, was clearly strong. veyle cannot help but think that she must have gone through a lot to become like this, and it's the last strike that has her calling it quits. this was supposed to be a fun little bout after all, not a battle to the death.

veyle has been defeated!

she gets up from her kneeling position on the ground with shaking legs, noting how far she had pushed herself. "sorry louis, i can't keep going here." she apologizes, smile sheepish as she faces him for the last time on the battlefield of the eagle and lion.

grabbing the attention of a medic on the field to take care of injured students before they become too severe to treat, veyle retreats from the fight for good.

@pryings

knoll watches lady veyle fall back and offers her a smile. she fought well, he's impressed by her. he will need to drop by and tell her later ( soon, if the knight still before him manages to take him out, or after the fight if not ) how impressed he is.

still, his attention is on the fight at hand. he aims a spell for the knight.

Knoll 2/6HP hits Louis 6/6HP with Miasma [Roll: 18, -0.5HP] Louis 5.5/6HP

it does little, but that's all right. that magic-absorbing shield is nothing to scoff at. it will be up to altena.

@etrefleurbleues

"take care, veyle! i will be certain to hold our team with pride," as she departs, he waves towards her, cheerful smile and all. "it was a joy fighting by your side. i do hope you consider formally joining the blue lions - we would have terrific fun as classmates!"

upon her leaving, he turns back to knoll and altena. "and so one remains. let our terrific bout draw itself to a dazzling conclusion!" the magic rebounds off his shield, and he feels it nip at his face - a sting as the inky blackness clears itself from his vision. "i must let you know, i am certainly one to push even harder in the face of adversity."

this sparring was so much fun. altena, knoll, edward . . . their faces were full of such determination. dimitri, veyle . . . their faces were so full of hope and faith in one another. louis will immortalize this battle forever into his heart.

"but i must ask of you to really show me your prideful spirit as we fight. i would like to see you both enjoy yourselves as much as i am," he mentions, rotating himself with the heavy thuds of his armor. he motions with his arm on instinct for other blue lions to follow, even if there were none left. he laughs a little at his own action. "a serious expression is warranted in such an important battle ! but my sole request . . . well, i would quite like to see a smile at some point. . . this may just be my last stand, after all!"

at that, he readies his lance. "no obligations, of course, but i look forward to our fierce battle and the potential of you indulging me."

Louis 5.5/6HP rotates the Blue Lions to the left. @luminousrider

Altena is impressed with the way Louis's shield effortlessly repels the magic from Knoll's spell. She has never fared well against mages and something like that would be nice to have in her arsenal. She wants to see how well it holds up against the force of her axe.

"I trust you to give it your best." There is the tiniest hint of a smile teasing at her lips. "Our victory won't taste as sweet if it is simply handed to us."

Altena 2.5/5HP hits Louis 5.5/6HP with Hand Axe [Roll: 11]

Louis 3.5/6 HP

She's pleased with how well she continues to throw and even more pleased that Louis's shield does little to stop her assault.

@etrefleurbleues

#toaboel2024 #louis is having a really good time.. ue #in character tag tba tumblrs fuckin up

with a heavy clunk, the axe is barely stilled by his armor. in fact, it wedges its way through the uppermost section, clanging harshly into his ( armored !!!! ) shoulder. ouch! he would feel that one tomorrow.

the silly thing about heavy armor is that, for the slices it stopped, you'd usually be rendered with a bruise or two!

"your throws are impressive ! i promise to work my hardest, then," louis readies his lance again, before beginning his waltz towards her. "your spirit burns with excitement. what a wonderful chorus of cheering voices!"

Louis 3.5/6HP hits Altena 2.5/5HP with Steel Lance [Roll: 12] Altena 1.5/5HP

this looked bad, honestly. but louis was simply so thrilled by the good spar it hardly mattered. it reminded him of his training, and how they would laugh it off at the end as they patched one anothers bruises and shared lunch.

"the two of you get along so well," he smiles. "i am so happy to see it."

misericordel-deactivated2025031

Their opponents work well together. Too well. Altena can't help but wonder if they've fought like this together before. It's dangerous.

Edward is forced to retreat and the two teams are even once more.

Altena turns toward Veyle again. This time, she won't miss. She can't afford any more misses.

"I can't let you get away with that but I will give you one chance to stand down before I cut you down."

Altena 2.5/5HP hits Veyle 1/5HP with Hand Axe [Roll: 19 - 2 = 17 -4HP]

Veyle 0/5HP

Veyle is defeated!

The Blue Lions are down to one remaining fighter but the battle is not yet won.

"Knoll! Keep pressing forward! We can do this!"

@misericordel

altena, the one with the axe that had ended up taking dimitri down, was clearly strong. veyle cannot help but think that she must have gone through a lot to become like this, and it's the last strike that has her calling it quits. this was supposed to be a fun little bout after all, not a battle to the death.

veyle has been defeated!

she gets up from her kneeling position on the ground with shaking legs, noting how far she had pushed herself. "sorry louis, i can't keep going here." she apologizes, smile sheepish as she faces him for the last time on the battlefield of the eagle and lion.

grabbing the attention of a medic on the field to take care of injured students before they become too severe to treat, veyle retreats from the fight for good.

@pryings

knoll watches lady veyle fall back and offers her a smile. she fought well, he's impressed by her. he will need to drop by and tell her later ( soon, if the knight still before him manages to take him out, or after the fight if not ) how impressed he is.

still, his attention is on the fight at hand. he aims a spell for the knight.

Knoll 2/6HP hits Louis 6/6HP with Miasma [Roll: 18, -0.5HP] Louis 5.5/6HP

it does little, but that's all right. that magic-absorbing shield is nothing to scoff at. it will be up to altena.

@etrefleurbleues