Bay 12 Games Forum

"MAMMON! SHOW YOURSELF! I'LL GUT YOU LIKE A DAMN PIG!"
A mindless skeleton on a wyvern is the first unfortunate victim of Satan's rampage, as it gets cloven in half by Satan's wicked axe, the blade coursing with an aura that can only be described as palpable and unyielding rage.

(The Undead Bowman has Close Counter!)
(Satan's Oppressor activates!)

Satan initiates!
Hit Rate: 75 to hit
Hit: 60, hit!
Critical: 6, crit!
Undead Bowman of Greed D takes 69 damage!

Undead Bowman of Greed D is defeated!
(Satan stands on the bones of titans!)

(Keilee is squeamish!)
Keilee loses 4 HP!

One of the gargoyles clutches his spear tightly, before charging Lucifer.
"If da boss sez yer traitored us, den we gotta fight ya!"
"Ain't Satan our boss?"
"....these are the creatures I've decided to call my brethren. These ones."
"Ain't we traitoring our boss if we fight 'im?"
"We gotta do what gargoyles do best, and it ain't thinkin'!"

"Very well. If you insist."

(Lucifer's dressed up to die...)
(Lucifer sees what's his and takes it!)
(Lucifer's Prominence activates!)
(Satan's Support activates!)

Lucifer initiates!
Hit Rate: 77 to hit
Hit: 17, hit!
Critical: 25, crit!
Minor Gargoyle of Greed F takes 90 damage!

Minor Gargoyle of Greed F is defeated!

(Keilee is squeamish!)
Keilee loses 4 HP!

As the gargoyle sails into a nearby rooftop, steaming with the sheer power of Lucifer's light, the other demons remaining glare at Lucifer.
"Traitor!"
"Have you no shame? Those are our people! Your people too!"
"And you're in the way of my friend, as bone-headed as he is. So if you wish to stand against two Demon Generals, I recommend rethinking your alleigances."

The remaining two gargoyles and the healer visibly doubt themselves, but the captain does not.
"Lord Mammon has ordered us to take up the flank! We will HOLD this flank until he arrives, Demon General or no! For the Knight of Greed!"
"Wuh? But we're gargoyles. We's demons o' wrath, not demons o' greed."
"....I can see now why Lord Mammon refuses to use gargoyle forces unless absolutely necessary."

~~Enemy Phase~~
Meanwhile, Team F, not possessing any Demon Generals of their own, has far less loyalty cascades. The captain's forces scout out the approaching group, with one of the mages pointing out Asuna, horrified.

"C-Captain! I-It's the Lightning Flash! The Revivian they call Asuna!"
More whispers from the group.
"And the American Wolfhound! The two of them...the others say they killed Belphegor and survived Lady Leviathan's wrath!"
"The Goddess Serena! One of the accursed Goddesses! What is she doing here?!"
"The goblin! He fought Lady Leviathan in single combat and won!"
"And Lord Lucifer and Satan are fighting alongside them....what kind of dark magic have they cast?!"
"And the gnome!"
"What about him?"
"He's just.....unsightly!"
"'Ell, wot if 'e can't help lookin' like dat? I think dat's a lil' rude ta point out a man's looks like dat."
"Silence, gargoyle. You couldn't tell a angel from a grapefruit."

The captain silences the group.
"Be quiet! Hold the line! There are many Revivians that look like that woman. For all we know, she's not the Asuna we've heard about, but a mere pretender. And if it is her, then we will fight nonetheless! Our mission is not them! Rally, for Lord Mammon! Our loyalty was not bought, but earned! And we will prove his faith in us true!"
He motions to the sides.
"The rest of you, hold the line! Hold the flanks! If the adventurers get past you, crush them in a pincer movement! We have the numbers advantage! We hold until Lord Mammon arrives!"

One of the gargoyles cracks his knuckles.
"'Ell wi' it. If dat's the goblin 'at beat fancy Lady Leviathan, 'en I'll get a fancy reward for beatin' 'im, roight? Ain't dat 'ow dat works? I'll ask fer a castle! Or a farm!"

(Keilee's Support activates!)

Minor Gargoyle of Greed A initiates!
Hit Rate: 37 to hit
Hit: 13, hit!
Rosencrantz takes 8 damage!

Rosencrantz retaliates!
Hit Rate: Irrelevant
Hit: Autohit!
Critical: 2, crit!
Minor Gargoyle of Greed A takes 27 damage!

Rosencrantz strikes again!
Hit Rate: Irrelevant
Hit: Autohit!
Minor Gargoyle of Greed A takes 9 damage!

Minor Gargoyle of Greed A is defeated!
(Rosencrantz wins some and loses some!)

(Keilee is squeamish!)
Keilee loses 4 HP!

Needless to say, Rosencrantz has indeed been paying attention in his training sessions with Asuna.

Some of the front group split off to deal with Marcia, feeling that the woman in a maid outfit who is in the process of setting herself on fire is an easier target than either Asuna, Keith, Serena or Rosencrantz. Possibly because they mistake her for having a death wish.

Provoke Check: Passed!

(Marcia is on fire....)
(Marcia is protected by a veil of fire!)
(Jarvis' Charisma activates!)
(Jarvis' Support activates!)

Minor Gargoyle of Wrath B initiates!
Hit Rate: 63 to hit
Hit: 57, hit!
Marcia takes no damage!

Marcia retaliates!
Hit Rate: Irrelevant
Hit: Autohit!
Critical: 16, crit!
Minor Gargoyle of Wrath takes 15 damage!

Minor Gargoyle of Wrath A is set on fire!
(Marcia's Hold the Line activates!)

Provoke Check: Passed!

(Jarvis' Charisma activates!)
(Jarvis' Support activates!)

Minor Magus of Envy A initiates!
Hit Rate: 83 to hit
Hit: 6, hit!
Critical: 5, crit!
Marcia takes 9 damage!

Marcia retaliates!
Hit Rate: 73 to thit
Hit: 14, hit!
Critical: 1, crit!
Minor Magus of Envy A takes 5 damage!

Minor Magus of Envy A retaliates!
Hit Rate: 83 to hit
Hit: 57, hit!
Marcia takes 3 damage!

Needless to say, after two of them get set on fire, the question is very quickly settled.

An arrow soars past Keith's face, cutting his cheek a little. The mindless skeleton that loosed it looks almost worried.

(Yliss' Support activates!)

Undead Bowman of Envy A initiates!
Hit Rate: 45 to hit
Hit: 27, hit!
Keith takes 2 damage!

Keith cannot retaliate!

Yliss, meanwhile, proves basically impossible to hit, performing acts of acrobatics that should quite frankly be impossible on a wyvern. The wonders of Revivian wishes indeed.

(Yliss feistily flies to the fight!)
(Yliss' Leaf on the Wind activates!)
(Keith's Support activates!)
(Jarvis' Support activates!)

Undead Bowman of Envy B initiates!
Hit Rate: Irrelevant
Hit: Automiss!

Yliss cannot retaliate!

(Yliss feistily flies to the fight!)
(Yliss' Leaf on the Wind activates!)
(Keith's Support activates!)
(Jarvis' Support activates!)

Undead Swordsman of Greed B initiates!
Hit Rate: Irrelevant
Hit: Automiss!

Yliss retaliates!
Hit Rate: 98 to hit
Hit: 15, hit!
Undead Swordsman of Greed B takes 17 damage!

(Yliss feistily flies to the fight!)
(Yliss' Leaf on the Wind activates!)
(Keith's Support activates!)
(Jarvis' Support activates!)

Minor Gargoyle of Greed D initiates!
Hit Rate: Irrelevant
Hit: Automiss!

Yliss retaliates!
Hit Rate: Irrelevant
Hit: Autohit!
Minor Gargoyle of Greed D takes 14 damage!

One of the undead swordsmen dives for Rosencrantz, hoping to catch him unawares. It gets a slash in, only for Rosencrantz's counterstrike to take its skull off with one forceful strike, sending it plummeting off its wyvern to shatter on the road below.

(Rosencrantz wins some and loses some!)
(Keilee's Support activates!)

Undead Swordsman of Greed A initiates!
Hit Rate: 39 to hit
Hit: 25, hit!
Rosencrantz takes 10 damage!

Rosencrantz retaliates!
Hit Rate: Irrelevant
Hit: Autohit!
Critical: 2, crit!
Undead Swordsman of Greed A takes 33 damage!

Undead Swordsman of Greed A is defeated!
(Rosencrantz wins some and loses some!)

(Keilee is squeamish!)
Keilee loses 4 HP!

"You! Goblin! I will avenge your insult towards Lady Leviathan personally!"
And just when Rosencrantz thinks his worries are over, the captain of the group rushes Rosencrantz personally.

(Rosencrantz wins some and loses some!)
(Keilee's Support activates!)

Captain of Greed A initiates!
Hit Rate: 45 to hit
Hit: 76, miss!

Rosencrantz retaliates!
Hit Rate: 98 to hit
Hit: 37, hit!
Critical: 2, crit!
Captain of Greed A takes 3 damage!

Rosencrantz strikes twice!
Hit Rate: 98 to hit
Hit: 32, hit!
Critical: 10, crit!
Captain of Greed A takes 3 damage!

"Gonna need a little help here! I don't think I've got the juice to get through this guy's armor!"

One of the mages trained in the healing arts takes a moment to heal up one of the casualties of Marcia's gun-knife.

Minor Healer of Envy A heals Minor Magus of Envy A!
Minor Magus of Envy A regains 23 HP!

Another one of the gargoyles takes a chance and attempts to run Keith down.

(Yliss' Support activates!)

Minor Gargoyle of Greed C initiates!
Hit Rate: 40 to hit
Hit: 28, hit!
Keith takes 2 damage!

Keith retaliates!
Hit Rate: Irrelevant
Hit: Autohit!
Critical: 4, crit!
Minor Gargoyle of Greed C takes 48 damage!
(Keith triggers Sanjuro!)
Keith regains 5 HP!

Minor Gargoyle of Greed C is defeated!

(Keilee is squeamish!)
Keilee loses 4 HP!

Getting clotheslined and sent flying into the nearby billboard advertising the new Burger Lord branch in the guildhall wasn't quite what they had in mind.

"How unsightly. Lady Leviathan will not mind me diverting from the plan to get rid of you."
One of the mages lent by Leviathan creeps up on the gnome and blasts him with sharp, cutting winds.

(Jenkins wishes to enjoy his hobby in private...)
(Jenkins fights for the sake of toenails!)
(Serena's Support activates!)

Minor Magus of Envy B initiates!
Hit Rate: 51 to hit
Hit: 43, hit!
Jenkins takes 18 damage!

Jenkins cannot retaliate!

Back towards the flank, Satan and Lucifer continue fighting the other group, as one of the more loyal members attempts to strike down Satan.
"Traitor! Your sin will not be forgiven!"

(Satan's Oppressor activates!)
(Satan stands on the bones of titans!)
(Lucifer's Charisma activates!)
(Lucifer's Support activates!)

Minor Magus of Envy C initiates!
Hit Rate: 40 to hit
Hit: 89, miss!

Satan retaliates!
Hit Rate: Irrelevant
Hit: Autohit!
Critical: 13, crit!
Minor Magus of Envy C takes 84 damage!

Minor Magus of Envy C is defeated!
(Satan stands on the bones of titans!)

(Keilee is squeamish!)
Keilee loses 4 HP!

"Urk...."
"The only sin that will need forgiving is yours for being stupid enough to turn my own gargoyles against me. Idiot."

One of the captains, meanwhile, turns on Lucifer.
"You, I have less qualms about fighting. Lord Mammon has long spoken of how you are a thorn in his side. Perhaps I might chastise you, and earn greater respect."
"Don't threaten me with a good time, dear."

(Lucifer is dressed up to die...)
(Lucifer sees what's his and takes it!)
(Lucifer's Prominence activates!)
(Satan's Support activates!)

Captain of Greed B initiates!
Hit Rate: 66 to hit
Hit: 4, hit!
Lucifer takes 3 damage!

Lucifer retaliates!
Hit Rate: 83 to hit
Hit: 61, hit!
Critical: 18, crit!
Captain of Greed B takes 54 damage!

Captain of Greed B is defeated!

(Keilee is squeamish!)
Keilee loses 4 HP!

The captain groans as his wyvern continues diving towards the ground.
".....how?"
"I wasn't given the title of the General of Pride for nothing, dear. Think on that while you enjoy your stay in Hellrealm, hm? And I'll be taking this."
"Goblin. It seems you'll be needing this more than me."
Rosencrantz recieves a Master Seal!

With another cleaving slash, another undead pawn of Mammon is hacked apart by Satan.

(Satan's Oppressor activates!)
(Satan stands on the bones of titans!)
(Lucifer's Charisma activates!)
(Lucifer's Support activates!)

Undead Bowman of Greed C initiates!
Hit Rate: 31 to hit
Hit: 78, miss!

Satan retaliates!
Hit Rate: Irrelevant
Hit: Autohit!
Critical: 14, crit!
Undead Bowman of Greed C takes 78 damage!

Undead Bowman of Greed C is defeated!

The remaining healer takes one look between Satan, Lucifer and the rest of her beaten group.
".....I think it best for me to retreat."

As she flees, the remaining two gargoyles share a look, before dropping their weapons.
"W-we ain't no traitors, boss! Honest!"
"We thought Mammon 'n you was workin' togetha, ya know? We didn' think ya were-"
"Save it. Just get out of here before you run into the others."

Taking the hint, the gargoyles vacate the battlefield right behind the fleeing healer.

---

(Marcia is on fire!)
Marcia takes 5 damage!

XP: 90/100

16-6

"Just hold the reins tight, tense your legs and brace! It'll help your stability!"

"I see you two are as thick as thieves already."
"You hold off on fighting me after this is over and I'll help you beat Lucifer's smug ass."

"Ah. Keith, meet the Demon General of Wrath, Satan Ira Draconia. You two would get along. Both of you are musclebound idiots with a propensity for violence and leaving a path of destruction wherever you go."
"Fuck off, Lucifer."

Lucifer looks over at the source of the noise.
"Ah, if it isn't my paler doppelganger."
"As much as you would be privileged to have me as an admirer, I'm not here for you. I'm here on personal business. Business that puts us in each other's paths again, it would seem."

Team F gets mounted onto their wyverns. It really isn't that difficult to get used to them; Marta was right about the ease of flight. They respond well to the movement of the reins, and seem to be trained enough to understand commmands even beyond the ones you'd assume they would. The one mounted by Jenkins seems....distracted or fearful, while the one being commanded by Serena seems stubborn, refusing to take off despite Serena's yells and screams.

"Stupid....why do I get the one who doesn't want to listen?! It's always me!"

After some more yelling and screaming, Serena's wyvern finally takes off, as Milly, Sitri and Marta wave at you all taking off.

Regardless, Team F flies up to the gathering group of wyverns already gathering in the air, where a floating platform with a man speaking into an orb stands, a line of magical projections marking the start line.
"Good morning Cizek! Today is the twenty-third annual Cizek Grand Prix! Today, you race for the glory, for the money, and for the beautiful people of Wybernia! Adventurers, racers, people doing this for your families, today you'll be making history!"
A loud cheer goes through the assembled racers.
"Today's race is sponsored by Tauriner Energy! For when you need just that little boost of-"
"Mortals! Behold, the forces of the Demon Lord!"

A loud voice echoes across the sky, as a legion of wyverns fly in, with all manners of demons and undead riding atop them, weapons drawn and tomes at the ready. At their head, a man in heavy black armor rides, a flag mounted at his back and a young man bound and tied on another wyvern.
"I, Angron Fidelitas Mammonia, speak for General Mammon of the Demon Lord's forces! We demand that Wybernia and its people cease their attacks on the Demon Lord in exchange for our leaving this kingdom, us permitting you to resume today's festivities and us releasing Prince Tomik of the Wybernian Royal Family!"
The prince struggles
"Unhand me, villain!"
"We fight so demons can enjoy the light of the sun, just as you mortals do! No more shall we hide in the dark! Your Prince will not be harmed, but he will not go free until our demands are met!"

"You're kidding me. It's always the Demon Lord. Why does it always have to be the Demon Lord?"

Most of the racers around you are fleeing, descending to the ground and running, as are many of the audience members. A few -probably adventurers or Wybernian patriots- are rushing the demon forces to try to grab the prince, but aren't having much success. It seems you will be having to do their work for them.

---

Meanwhile....
Marta looks around, the people around her running for cover.
".....we have to do something."
"W-what do you mean?! W-we can't....I can't fly, and e-even if you took a pegasus...y-you're just one person. Y-you can't help...."

The young engineer thinks back closely to her days as an aeronautics engineer. There were many airshipyards in the city; the high altitude and lack of tall buildings in Cizek made it easy to launch airships from, and so many had established ports in the area. Most of them would be locked up for today, of course, given that today was race day; this was a safety measure, and they had tall walls to keep people from climbing in. Normally, security would be high at the airshipyards, again given how expensive a single airship was, but a cheapskate airshipyard might not field many guards, hoping that the city guards being on higher alert on race day would help deter crime.

Marta's former employers weren't the only cheapskates in the city.

She eyed a pegasus nearby, a small, short specimen. Easy for someone as small as her to climb and ride.
"....Sitri.....how strong is your grip with your tail?"

Both of them completely ignored Milly, whose eyes were on the sky, mouth agape. She held her tome to herself tightly, hugging it.
"....Mammon...."

---

To your left, meanwhile, you see two figures, one familiar, one not so much.

".....kidnapping the Prince? Was this your genius plan, Satan, dear?"
"....it was. That Mammon...he hijacked my plan!"
"I did warn you he'd do something like this. Should've listened."
"That headless bastard. That won't be the only thing he'll be lacking when I'm finished here! If he dares to interrupt MY operation and take MY men from me, I'll ruin him!"
"MAMMON! I'M COMING FOR YOU!"
".....oh dear. That's my cue to help, isn't it?"

---

XP: 15/100

Marta slips on a tabard, while eyeing several pegasi being led to a different part of the repurposed market square. She gives 42-1 a thumbs up.
"It's a little big for me, but good work."
 
Suddenly, you hear a rush of feet moving past you as you all put on your tabards. When you look around, a group of official-looking nobles are worriedly knocking about, muttering among themselves.
"Have you seen the Prince?"
"He was supposed to race today, but nobody's seen him all morning."
"You know him and his betrothed. Like rabbits, those two..."
"The young lady has not arrived yet. She said she would be here in time for the race to start. Unless she snuck into the castle beforehand..."
"We need to find him! The race starts in twenty minutes!"

They barely pay anybody outside of their small group any attention while muttering among themselves and walking past.