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Recent Events Summary:

You have defeated Erebus, and regained your old self. Now it's time to put things right, once and for all.

The plan to heal Venia is almost certainly lethal to both yourself and the other elemental lords. You managed to convince the elemental lords to accompany you without resorting to subterfuge - thanks, in large part, to Geb. You are all out of time - both literally, and figuratively.

The remodeling process has started. The three elementals have remained at the outer core, with one half of Vigil. You, Abigail, Melody, Ila, and Fang, have traveled to the inner core. Vigil requires you to 'subdue' chaos - that is, temporarily beat it back so that it can complete the plan.

Inside the great inner sphere, a pulsing white growth seeps from a jagged hole in the air. Huddled at the base of the tree is a maddened David, who has apparently consumed the four higher elementals.

For the moment, he's calm - but you can feel the oppressive gaze of the chaos-entity sitting on you, waiting for you to act.

>day off
>shadow quest
>pizza
life is ok

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IT IS TIME. FOR HAPPENING.

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Ability Tree

GREEN abilities have been unlocked and learned.

BLUE abilties are unlocked, but are not yet purchased.

RED abilities are revealed, but locked due to prerequisites.

UNDERLINED abilities are active-use, as opposed to passive. Not all active abilities require mana.

All Revealed Ability Descriptions:

http://pastebin.com/LMq32gnV

Books the Main Character has read:

http://pastebin.com/dAXR00gP

Character Sheet including learned abilities and other important information:

http://pastebin.com/fparJYat

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Current Statistics:

HP: 81/81
Mana: 90/90
EXP: 0

Shards of Order and Chaos:

(Retribution) - Resonant
(Maker) - Resonant
(Silence) - Resonant
(Peace) - Resonant
(Breeze) - Resonant
(Hammer) - Resonant
(Ardor) - Resonant
{Resolve} - Resonant
{Humanity} - Resonant

--Summoned--

Wisp - 1 mana to order

--Automatons--

-none-

--Equipment--

-none-

--Inventory--

-none-

--Teleport Anchor--

Arland

--Current Location--

The Great Barrier - Inner Core

Known Mana Pools:

Jacob's Field - entrance to Hecate's tomb - Spirit
Jacob's Field - Hecate's Chamber - Spirit
Tarun Gakth - Under Refuge - Shadow
Palthair Mines - Magnock's Lair - Spirit
Archon - Spirit District - Spirit
Archon - Shadow District - Shadow
Archon - Earth District - Earth
Archon - Water Distric - Water
Haven - Shadow
Abbotsford - Shadow
Aurora - Water
Va'ad - South Generator - Earth
Va'ad - North Generator - Earth
Arland - Dryfeld - Water
Kan-Abar - Royal Gardens - Earth

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The end is near.

My body is ready.

>>33031175
>Tree Gift not highlighted

Just pointing it out

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vLOmKArILvg

At first, you think to pick your way across the vines and roots of the plant-thing, but each time your gaze shifts, they've already moved out of the way. Behind you, the path they're making closes neatly. It's either avoiding pointedly avoiding you, or allowing you to walk toward something very unfriendly.

The pulsing flashes of mana continue. Now you know what was echoing out of the core when you explored earlier. All this energy is coming from the growth, from the hole.

You reach the base of the tree. The man is hunched, bent over his legs. He's scraping at the bark, getting handfuls of the light, and bringing it to his mouth - and eating it. He's chews it down, swallows. And then he's scraping for more.

He notices you. He twists himself to look at you. He pauses.

"...Ere...bus. Eating...consuming...I ate them. I ate them. I'll eat it all."

He turns back to his meal and shoves in another mouthful. "I'm strong now." The words are garbled, said through a mouthful of chaos. "Stronger. Stronger. I'm stronger. I have Fire, and Wind, and Lightning, and even Light, even LIGHT, can you believe that?! Heh, Light...heh...heheheh..."

He raises his head back and crackles. And then he takes another bite from those roots.

It doesn't seem to really be hurting the entity much, if at all. Every time you look after he takes one of his bites, it's already grown back.

<Vigil.> You think the words quietly, as if whispering them. Maybe that's just paranoia, but you swear you can still feel the thing watching you from the crack above your head. <Is it possible that David could help with the remodeling process?>

>Current scans are promising. [Common name]: David appears to have metabolized all four Higher Elementals. His current connection with the core entity is stronger than that of the three Lesser Elementals.
>Analyzing...

>con't

Just remember, anons, we might be near the end of SQ, but we aren't nearly done with SM and each other. We still have a post-game meta thread to look forward too, as well as Edgy Quest and SM's books.
The ride might be over, but the roller coaster over there looks fun too.

A moment passes. David licks his fingers, one at a time, as if savouring the taste. You keep still. You really don't want to bother him at the moment. He leans foward and gnaws off another section of the white vines. He chews it like a cow chewing cud.

>David may be used to augment the activities of the three elementals at the outer core. Their survival rates have jumped significantly.

<How big is significantly?>

>Estimated rates of survival from 0.002%, 0.004%, 0.0045%, to 94.6%, 97.9%, 96.8%. Be advised that the elementals may be significantly impacted by the process, reguardless of David's prescence.

<How do I get him to...help?>

>David will need to be physically present at the site of the remodeling. I will shuttle him to location under secure conditions if he can be moved outside the inner core.

You glance back, up the slope to where the curve of the inner core starts to steepen. Abigail, Fang, and Melody are huddled around the tiny black hole that leads back outside. They're staring down at you, watching for any sign of trouble.

<Everything alright, Shadow?> Fang asks.

>con't

"Shadow Quest 126: The Inner Core."
I'm just disappointed that the description isn't "The Happening."
C'mon guys.

<Yeah. It's David. He's...volatile. Vigil thinks he might be able to help the other elementals, but we'd have to get him out of here.>

<You know,> Fang says, <that's quite noble, and if feasible, I'd certainly like to include it in our plans, but the prospect of immediate lethality has me a touch worried about the idea of doing victory laps.>

<This is the difference between life and death for Hecate, Geb, and Leviathan. If we can get him outside, Vigil can take him the rest of the way.>

You see Fang move his shoulders. <If you think the feral madman can be convinced to take a boat ride, then by all means. One less obstacle.>

<He's been eating...a lot,> you admit. <I don't think it's been good for his mental state.>

<And on top of that, I'm sure he's hardly brushed his teeth.>

<This isn't really the time for jokes.>

<This is the perfect time for jokes,> Fang says. <We could all die any moment. I, for one, would like to - >

<Would you two shut up and stop baiting that-> Melody waves a hand at the tree. <-that thing.>

<I'd know if it could hear us.>

Melody's words are practically hissed. <Forgive me if I don't share your confidence. Darling.>

For being at the edge of the world, they sure are relaxed - though these two have been in plenty of tight spots before. For some reason, it makes you feel a bit better.

You glance down at David. He hasn't moved. You suspect he doesn't have any pressing appointments. You glance up at the tree. It is unmoving.

>9 minutes until remodeling processes are ready to initiate.

What do you do?

>Try to talk David into leaving the room through the portal
>Try to talk David into helping you dismantle some of these vines
>Ask David about the core of chaos; see if he can give you useful information
>Attack David while he's distracted
>some other strategy

>>33031175
>muh tree gift

Well everyone.
This is it.
It's been a pleasure.
But now, it is truly, and finally, Happening.
We've been preparing for this.
The question is: Are we ready?

>>33031313
Tell David that the time has come to finish the fight. Tell him that the Lesser Elementals will require his strength to seal off the outer core.

>>33031313
>Try to talk David into leaving the room through the portal

We cannot waste time here.

>>33031313
>Try to talk David into leaving the room through the portal.
If any of the other options fail, we're probably going to end up fighting him anyway, so I'd rather do the one with the most benefit if it works.

>>33031313
"David...it has been a long time. The time has come to end this battle. We are on the verge of victory, and you are the final piece of this puzzle. Come, come with me and finish this."

>>33031374
I like the wording of this, but I don't remember if Dave knew about Erebus's plans to dick over everybody, lessers included.
If he did, he might still see them as an enemy.
Anyone remember how much he knows?

>>33031398
The issue here is that we want him to leave us, not come with us, which might prove more difficult. Unless you're saying you want him to help us here instead of trying to save the elementals, in which case, fair enough.

>>33031313
>Ask David about the core of chaos; see if he can give you useful information.
>Try to talk David into leaving the room through the portal.
"The time has come David. You have grown strong just as I had hoped. I have come to take you from here, just as you always knew I would. You will help me finish the fight against Chaos."

Try to throw in something about the high chance of mortality and that we are proud that David has grown so powerful. Make sure he knows that we will have others assisting our efforts, but he's number one. In other words, heap piles of validation on David so he's ok with sacrificing himself.

>>33031313
<Vigil, was David aware of the plan to betray the Lesser Elementals?>

>>33031457

This.

>>33031313
Oh, let's ask vigil if David has any User privileges. If so, we need to revoke them ASAP.

>>33031313
"David. I have come to give you the kingdom I promised, but the islands are on the verge of being destroyed. They need chaos to live, but too much will cause them to lose form.

I have one last mission for you. Help me fix this seal, and I'll take you to your rightful throne."

>>33031461
Yeah we should ask this.

Also, how does he impact our own odds of survival, as well as his own?

Like while right now he has too much power to be free, if he was brought down to mortal levels, I'd rather he live.

>>33031457
>>33031511

Alright, I think we can go with this. Good responses so far.

You know what to roll.

>>33031445
I'm just thinking that speaking to him in a certain way boosts our chances, after all, we are here in person. Didn't he say we were a liar for not coming to help him ages ago or something? Just appealing to that

Rolled 54

>>33031531
This is the part where we critfail, isn't it.

Rolled 50

>>33031531
SHADOW GUIDE MY DICE!

Rolled 19

>>33031531

>>33031445
Good point. Now that I think about it, David almost certainly knows that Erebus was going to betray the Lessers. I guess we could just tell him that they fight for Order now. I think hope he'll obey us as long as we act Erebus'y enough.

>>33031511
I don't know if he cares about that.

Also we should stress that we're putting our own life on the line here, regardless of his choice, and him choosing to assist us will merely make the process go smoother.

Like leave it up to him if he wants to help us or not.

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>>33031549
>>33031556
>>33031560
I'll be glad when the Shadow Dice™ are gone.

Rolled 1

>>33031531
I know exactly what to roll.

>>33031580
They won't be gone. Just waiting. Watching.

Rolled 96

>>33031531
The dice call

Rolled 82

>>33031531

>>33031563
We regained Vigil. It'll be easy to convince him.
>>33031589
>1d1

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Rolled 54

>>33031531

>>33031563
Well we could say that we've gotten them to agree to kill themselves, and even IF they survive, they will be remade in Our image.

Rolled 94

>>33031531

Rolled 22

>>33031531

Rolled 1

>>33031549
>>33031556
>>33031560

>>33031601
>>33031612
>>33031631

So, uh, anyway this can be a two-part action?

Left in the troll dice. oops.

Rolled 21

>>33031531

>>33031531
Can we be sure not to be too gushy? I think an aloof appreciation and validation is what we should aim for.

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>>33031754
"Erebus-sama, you were like the otousan I never had."

You've crossed paths with David more than a few times, now. You know his mental state as well as anyone can. You can do this. You let your aura darken your features until you're a blackened, radiating silhouette, trying to look as much like Erebus as possible.

<You've grown as strong as I hoped, David,> you say. <As strong as I planned.>

"...ah..." He looks up at you, then stands straight. "I - yes. I have. Strong."

You draw yourself up a bit. <The threshold of our victory is at hand. Follow me.> You turn and start walking. You can feel him following you. You glance up toward the exit. <Guys, scoot out of the way for me.>

Your allies rapidly 'scoot' to the side, clearing a path.

<You may notice the ants, there,> you say. <Merely tools to facilitate our victory. Pay them no attention.>

"Yes, my lord."

His answer is crisp and immediate, with none of the hesitation, the mumbling. He's your captive audience.

<We'll be putting your power to good use,> you say. <The core must be remodeled to preserve the state of the islands.> You stop in front of the hole. <Through there. Vigil will give you further instructions. Do not disappoint me.>

"Never, my lord." He marches onward.

<And David...good work.>

David turns. His eyes are wide. "...you used my name."

You don't miss a beat. <Acknowledgement is a precious thing. Take it and go.>

He nods vigorously. "I will not fail."

He turns.

Something flickers in your vision. A white vine with a needled tip is poised like a snake. It darts for David's exposed back.

Roll 1d100 to react!

Rolled 79

>>33031851
David is kill.

Rolled 22

>>33031851

Rolled 36

>>33031851

Let's go

Rolled 43

>>33031851
...Being Dave is suffering.

>>33031871
>>33031879
>>33031918
Fuck.

Final boss time.

Rolled 97

>>33031851

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Rolled 15

>>33031851
Knobs

Rolled 12

>>33031851
I guess we'll need to pray for a 100.

When was the last time we actually got a critical success in Shadow Quest?
Hell, when was the last time we got a 100?

Rolled 19, 4, 6, 19, 9, 20, 4, 9 = 90

Rolling stuff

>>33031964

WHAT DO THE NUMBERS MEAN?

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Rolled 32

>>33031851

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>>33031964

>>33031964
Above average!

>>33031964
I SEE A 20 AND 2 19'S
OUR CREW HAS OUR BACK

>>33031964
Did Abby do good?

>>33031964
I really hope these were for our allies.

>>33031964
>Fang
19, 4
>Melody
6, 19
>Ila
20, 4
>Abby
...4, 9

EVEN WITH ARBITER, ABBY FAILS

>>33032039
what makes you think they're in that order?

>>33032054
In order of best to worst waifu.

>>33032039
Abby a shit.

>>33032054
That's the only order that makes sense.

>>33032134
What possible reason do you have to think that?
>inb4 because Abby a shit huehuehue

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QMOGKUM1cYQ

You throw yourself forward as the tip of the vine jabs toward David's spine. Breeze's crystallized wings flare as you close the gap in an instant.

You're not fast enough to deflect the vine, so you change strategies. You slam into David, instead. <Go!>

He flies through the portal. Almost immediately, you receive a message from Vigil.
>David secure. Commencing transport.

The needle plummets toward your body. It stabs into you, tearing through your flesh.

>you've taken 2 damage [79/81]

It hurts - but then something else happens. It's sucking something from you. The vine glows painfully bright as it drains your mana. You struggle to rip the thing out of yourself, but the surface burns your limbs. You wince as you try to put more power into it.

>you've lost 5 mana [85/90]

A line of razor-sharp shadow whistles through the space. It neatly slices through the vine. The tip embedded in you dissipates. Abigail lands at your side with a heavy thud as her boots slam into the ground. <Shadow, are you alright?!>

<Fine. That thing drained my mana. Watch out for it.>

>you've regained 2 HP from regeneration (81/81)

>con't

>>33032214
I like Abby, but lets be real here. She's incompetent as fuck.

The jagged hole in the sky pulses, once, twice, again. The pulse steadily increases until it reaches a regular rhythm. You can see something moving in the hole.

A wall of vines rises up in front of you. Some are needled, others bladed; more take the form of bludgeoning tools. More vines grow in thick walls, obscuring the 'fruit' of the growth. You get ready for the attack.

A few blasts of Shadow from your left decimates the first line of chaos-radiating weapons. Immediately following is a storm of Spirit magic that shreds a secondary wall of vines. They start regrowing immediately, but that definitely did damage.

Fang, Ila, and Melody are charging from their position slightly to your right. Abigail swings her scythe, throwing more of her matter-erasing blasts of energy into the fray.

What do you do?

>attack from the front with Abigail
>try to fly above the vines; strike at the core of the monster
>circle it from behind, so you're attacking from three directions
>some other strategy

I cannot even begin to express my surprise that we actually got David to cooperate without any problems

>>33032261
>Eclipse
>triple Void Bomb alt2 flurry of death

>>33032261
>circle it from behind, so you're attacking from three directions

>>33032299

It's something that you've built over several interactions with David, and now you know his full story. It's been a project for a long time, now.

>>33032261
>attack with abigail
concentrated order, pummel it

>>33032261
>A few blasts of Shadow from your left decimates the first line of chaos-radiating weapons.
>decimates
Goddamn, that's some precise magic.

Anyway,
>circle it from behind, so you're attacking from three directions
Time-tested VICE OF DEATH never fails.
Ain't a military strategist alive who doesn't acknowledge flanking as a really good idea.

>>33032253
>RNG gives low results
>must've been for Abby because she's incompetent
You're a moron.

>>33032313
I like this. Let's use all the goodies.

>>33032261
>circle it from behind, so you're attacking from three directions

>>33032261
Pulsed void attacks, attempting to pierce through to the "fruit".

Multiple attacks that hit at once are wasteful since they don't actually penetrate deeper.

Mil grade explosives training and familiarity with "zerg" swarms

>>33032406
>Goddamn, that's some precise magic.
What?

>>33032455
He's being a pedant about the technical definition of "decimate".

>>33032455
Well, technically, the original definition if "decimate" was to select by lot one out of every tenth person of something, or to take a tenth of or from.
Common misuse has lead to the word also being used as "destroy a great number or amount of," but some people (like me) still like to give people shit about it.

Alright, we'll circle it from behind. That will have Shadow on one side, Arbiter Abby on another, and Ila, Fang, and Melody coming from another angle.

Are there any specific attacks or spells you'd like to use? I see a couple for Eclipse, Void Bomb Alt 2, etc.

>>33032455

Decimate is now more a synonym for really hurting something badly, but the original meaning is to remove one in every ten, as in, one in every ten roman legionaries that were judged to be worthy of the punishment (typically desertion).

So he was being overly specific to make a funny.

>>33032406
>Ain't a military strategist alive who doesn't acknowledge flanking as a really good idea.

I don't know how well you can flank something that can attack in every direction. I'm thinking a solid front is a better way to make sure nothing slips by as we push towards its core.

>>33032542
Will Eclipse even work inside here? There's no sun to quench. Wait, by that logic, shouldn't we be under permanent Eclipse in here? We're inside a horrifying shadow barrier.

>>33032549
Right, that is true. We may want to reassess our strategy since we're here moreso to prevent anything from getting past us and buying time for Virgil to remodel itself.

>>33032542
If we're surrounding it, I don't know if the massive scattershot is such a great idea. Might hit allies unless this thing is so massive that not a single one of the thousands of bombs misses.

Where's Shade?

>>33032631
;_;7

>>33032542
Eclipse+All of the Shadow Magic

>>33032569

The presence of Chaos predominates significantly.

>>33032631

Oh, yeah. Well, we can say we rebuilt him before you came down into the core, and he's now in your Pocket in case you need him.

>>33032661
>>33032631
Rip earth party ;-;7

>>33032696
Rip Brown Pants Party more like.

So, we want to use Eclipse, and ? Just confirming, because it's a lot of mana.

We could follow up with a 15-mana (7 mana after Eclipse) void bomb to take out a ten-yard swath of the entity.

>>33032569
Now that I think about, was it ever explained why demons, creatures composed largely (completely?) of chaos could use/were strengthened by shadow magic?

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>>33032542
>So he was being overly specific to make a funny.

He was bending the literal meaning of the word - deci mate to try to find some fun in the slaughter of every tenth man.

Unfortunately, no fun in ten did

>>33032770

Eclipse will also power our allies a fuckload. This is team shadow right now. Do it.

>>33032774
Shadow Quest physics.
Probably something along the lines of removing or manipulating Chaos in such a way that the remaining Order was used.
Or something.

And they aren't completely made of chaos, if I remember correctly, as they were made with a shell of order just like (fake)hoomans are.

>>33032799
Oh you.

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>>33032799

holy shit that pun

>>33032693
Based as fuck
>>33032770
We can always just have some salad to refill a bit

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Rolled 14, 1, 7, 1 = 23

>>33032799
>Unfortunately, no fun in ten did

I get it.

---------
---------

Alright, roll 1d100, six rolls.

Rolled 26

>>33032911

Rolled 58

>>33032911
FUCK THOSE ROLLS

>>33032838
>Shadow Quest Physics
>Where entropy only exists when it's convenient for the plot!

Rolled 22

>>33032911
Jesus christ.

Rolled 5

>>33032911
the dice call to me

Rolled 76

>>33032911

Rolled 36

>>33032911

Rolled 100

>>33032911

Rolled 91

>>33032911

Rolled 76

>>33032911

Rolled 38

>>33032911
We better be using Resolve with this.

Rolled 14

>>33032911
TO HELL WITH THESE DICE

Rolled 2, 1, 3, 7, 5, 18, 1, 19 = 56

Oh, that should have been 8d20. Refreshing.

>>33032942
fuckin' nice.

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>>33032942
HOOOOOOOOOOOOO

>>33032953
[SCREAMING EXTERNALLY]

Rolled 79

>>33032911
Why must you betray me, dicelords?

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>>33032942
YES

>>33032921
>>33032924
>>33032935
shit
>>33032942
OH HELL YES.
It's not a supercrit, but it's good enough.

>>33032953

Allies jobbing all over the place.

>>33032942

I FINALLY DID IT!

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>>33032942
Fuck yeeeeaaah

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>>33032955
>needs 6 rolls
>7th is critical
Usual day in SQ

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>>33032942

ITS HAS BEEN TOO LONG MY FRIEND

>>33032978
first ten, son.

>>33032955
>>33032968
the seventh

Rolled 43

>>33032911
Welp, looks like two of David, Hecate, Geb, and Leviathan just bit the dust.

>>33032942
HOLY SHIT.
DID WE ACTUALLY SUCCEED AT SOMETHING?

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>>33032942

It's a miracle! A Christmas miracle!

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>>33032953
>still two ones

SHAAAAADOOOOW QUUUEEEST

>>33032942

Resonant shard empowered too.

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Where will The ONE God find that many ones once Shadow Quest ends?

>>33033120
PPQ

>>33033120

Deniable Assets quest.

It has yet to have a critfail.

Winter is coming.

You use Eclipse.

>mana: 43/90

The constant white light in the room flickers, then dims. It's the color of a fading sunset, now - still bright, but definitely reduced.

You hack through the first few vines that whip out and attack you. As long as they don't make extended contact, they don't burn - or perhaps the Eclipse's power is reducing its ability to do that.

Resolve helps you build a rotating orb of Shadow as you press in. Another group of vines whips forward, twice as many as before. You hold out your hand holding the spell, and fire the void bomb.

>mana (36/90)

The pinprick of violet light sails into the vines, then detonates. An orb of Shadow ten yards wide engulfs a section of the vines. A clap of thunder resounds as it vanishes. Dozens of branches fall dead and vaporize. You dash into the hole you created, pressing closer to the center.

Abigail is making strong progress on her end, hacking through the vines with her scythe like an explorer slashing through brush with a machete. Her weapon is almost designed for this task - it's a good fit for her. The vines can't form fast enough to keep up with her movements; the beams of shadow cut them down before they get close. She's relatively close to you at the moment.

You can feel the fight amongst your other three allies. You think Ila was in trouble for a moment - Melody had to stop to help her while Fang held off the vines. They aren't making as much progress.

<Everyone, use your Shadow magic! The Eclipse will make it stronger!>

In deep, the white, thrashing attacks from from every direction, surrounding you, swarming you. It's all you can do to keep up with the rate at which they're coming at you.

What do you do?

>try to get off another Void Bomb
>use Void Ring to clear the area
>use Darkness Within; hack through while conserving mana
>try to use Nightblaze
>try to coordinate something with Abigail
>some other strategy

>>33033221
>use Darkness Within; hack through while conserving mana
We should probably keep a mana reserve for our inevitable 1.

>>33033221
Have Abigal slice open a window for us to dunk a void bomb in

>>33033221
>use Darkness Within; hack through while conserving mana

>drop shade, have him assist Ila.

>>33033221

Ah,

>you gained 2 mana from regeneration (38/90)

>>33033221
>use Void Ring to clear the area
conserving mana would just wast the Eclipse.

>>33033221

currently chaos has 0 shadow resistance.

So what we want the most right now is FAST area clearing attacks.

Cone of darkness augmented by shards.

I wish we had shadowrage actually.

>>33033297
>>use Darkness Within; hack through while conserving mana
Fuck no. We won't want to be locked into 4 turns of this shit, while or allies roll 1s.

>Suicide Squad - Illusions explode on contact with the enemy with the force of a Shadow Bomb, with less range. Costs 13 mana.

We use this. Its on teh charsheet, of learned powers.

Army of darkness/multishade and shit seeking shadow bombs everywhere, THEN guide our most powerful attack - Nightbalze, the order-based antimagic - right at the heart of this stuff.

Also resolve has the power to reflect magic.
Turn this chaos shit right back on it

>>33033318
Seconding shade backing up Ila

>>33033309

I like it. Any alterations/additions?

>>33033221
How many shades will Suicide Squad create? At 8 base power, enough of them might trump the 15 power from void ring.

I'm loathe to go into Darkness Within, but it might be the best option since we're just blazing through mana.

>>33033221
>use Darkness Within; hack through while conserving mana

CHAOS TRIED TO KILL THE METAL, BUT SHADOW FOUND IT WANTING.

>>33033297
>>33033318

Fuck DW.

Army of darkness with suicide squad.

>>33033363
>How many shades will Suicide Squad create? At 8 base power, enough of them might trump the 15 power from void ring.
Well, the thing is, suicide squad isn't incompatable

we can do void ring AND suicide squad, since Eclipse gives us half off shadow magic.

>>33033352
I'll second the use of Suicide Squad with >>33033309 Abby cutting an opening for us.

>>33033363
>I'm loathe to go into Darkness Within, but it might be the best option since we're just blazing through mana.
Ignore this, forgot about eclipse, we should capitalize on it. Either Suicide Squad or Void Ring to buy space, then let's try a Nightblaze.

>>33033352
>>33033356
Why not send suicide squad into the opening that Abby cuts for us?

>>33033405
Agreeing with this.

>>33033353

Ok, Shade to Ila.

>>33033356
>>33033352

Oh, suicide squad. That would be good. Alright, seems like everyone's on board for that plan.

Abby cuts the wheat, army of death jumps through the gap.

Roll 1d100

>>33033356
>I like it. Any alterations/additions?

Yeah. The suicide squad / multivoid bomb plan as mentioned.
Shard augment it because we can do that at will now.>>33033363
>How many shades will Suicide Squad create? At 8 base power, enough of them might trump the 15 power from void ring.

>>33033426
because suicide squad clears a path way better than abby does.

>>33033389
>Well, the thing is, suicide squad isn't incompatable
>we can do void ring AND suicide squad, since Eclipse gives us half off shadow magic.
I was just thinking we'd get diminishing returns on consecutive CQC sweepers. I'd rather use one then switch back to Void Ring or Nightblaze. Preferably Nightblaze, as it'll probably give our allies an opening.

Rolled 29

>>33033434
Go!

Rolled 63

>>33033434

Rolled 18

>>33033434

Rolled 67

>>33033434
GO GO GADGET SHADOW!

Rolled 19

>>33033434
No Nightblaze? Damn, it (paired with Nightflare

Rolled 74

>>33033434
These rolls are starting off well.

>>33033453
>>33033456
>>33033457
MEH

Rolled 55

>>33033434


>>33033434

A dark blizzard would be good too.
>sharpened by shadow magic
>attack with large chances to stun, disrupt, and freeze enemies)
>Negates Shadow resistance of all enemies, doubles Shadow magic power,
>all enemies

Kick chaos in the buts with an AoE DoT stunlock that can't be resisted

Rolled 60

>>33033434

>>33033453
>>33033456
>>33033457

Thank god for Eclipse and resonant shards.

>>33033480
>woops, cont
)has been our most reliable ability.

Rolled 33

>>33033434

>>33033506
>A dark blizzard would be good too.

This too!

Rolled 90

>>33033434

<Abigail,> you shout, <clear a path for me, I can't get through!>

<Got it!>

You throw Shade out from yourself. <Help Ila!> Shade doesn't pause to ask more - he jets off through a gap in the vines, slashing as he moves.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wG7mF-WTydE

You keep fighting. One of the needles almost gets through again. You deflect it with one arm and chop it in two with another. You spin your body like a top, keeping your bladed hands moving constantly to take down the vines.

Suddenly, they're gone. Lines of Shadow pulse past you in a grid, slicing down dozens of vines all at once. This time, you watch Abigail for a moment - her arms move in a blur as she slashes several times in quick succession. Another grid-like flash of shadow erases the vines in front of you.

You unleash a Suicide Squad. (mana: 32/90)
>you've gained 2 mana from regen (34/90)

Figures of shadow erupt from your form and stampede through the hole. Winged devils, clones of yourself, fanged beasts, and chittering insects rampage toward the core of the growth. A vine touches one on the end of the group, and it detonates, blowing a hole in the offending branch.

>con't

Your small army slams into the growth around its base, where the origins of most of the vines are. Violet pulses of energy light up the room as explosions rattle off in a chain-reaction. Hundreds of vines vaporize. The air feels thick with chaos, full of energy -

>you've regained 10 mana (44/90)

Incredible - there's so much energy being released from the destruction of the growth that just inhaling it restores your mana.

In moments, the room is cleared, the growth reduced to a shade of its former self. You push in with Abigail at your side. Fang, Ila, and Melody, backed by Shade, are charging on their side, too, almost directly opposite you.

Something's churning inside the crack. The branches and vines still remaining are rapidly regenerating. You've got to lock it down. You:

>triple Nightblaze
>triple Void Bomb
>use Dark Blizzard while your allies attack with Shadow magic
>some other strategy

>>33033837
>use Dark Blizzard while your allies attack with Shadow magic

>>33033837
>triple Void Bomb
CHAOS DUNK!

>>33033837
Keep all sides down, dark blizzard

>>33033837
>use Dark Blizzard while your allies attack with Shadow magic

>>33033837
Dark blizzard.

Rolled 65

>>33033837
>>use Dark Blizzard while your allies attack with Shadow magic

STUNLOCKDOWN

Rolled 9, 10, 20, 7, 14, 20, 20, 5 = 105

<Everyone, use Shadow magic to keep the vines from regrowing. I'm summoning a blizzard!>

Roll 1d100

Rolled 7

>>33033976
TAKE THIS DICE GODS!

Rolled 60

>>33033976
AHHHHHHHHHHH

>>33033976
>Rolled 9, 10, 20, 7, 14, 20, 20, 5 = 105

Daaaaamn. I rock.

>>33033988

You may want to reconsider your relgi

Rolled 61

>>33033976
incoming 1

Rolled 63

>>33033976
By the void, be banished

>>33033976
There's no way I can roll a 1, so I have to aim for a 100!

>>33034001

>reli
gious position.

I did not beat auto-post.

Rolled 36

>>33033976
I said incoming 1, dammit, and I'm not stopping until I get it.

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>>33033976
>>33033999
>>33034003
These rolls.

Rolled 76

>>33034026
>>33033976


it actually locks it in when you hit enter sometimes, especially if an image is involved

Rolled 85

>>33033976
Just wanna say, been here since thread 1, haven't participated since thread 20, but it has been great reading this quest. No matter how this ends it has been a great story and I want to thank Shadow Master for all his hard work. Now fucking end this.

Rolled 7

>>33034001
>>33033976

can you tell us who those were for btw?

I'm just seeeing the Fang family and Melody busting heads here.

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Rolled 42

>>33033976
still time

for happenings

>>33034278
Why you worried anon? A good chunk of those twentied are likely for our allies

A storm gathers from the air as you focus your powers. Flakes of snow crystallize and start to swirl.

Abigail slashes with her scythe, as precise as a surgeon. She nips new vines in the bud before they can start to grow.

Fang, though least practiced with Shadow magic, has more than enough talent to make up for it. Concentrated beams of energy leap from his hands. The resulting detonations are chaotic, but effective. He peppers the bottom of the tree, just trying to do as much damage as possible.

Melody and Ila work together. Ila forms a sort of sigil in front of her that turns into a flat disc of shadow. Melody puts a hand on the shield. A flurry of dark arrows like hail erupt from the disc. Ila rotates the disc as Melody pours her power into it, turning the avalanche of shadow-charged arrows into a vine-killing machine. They must have gotten that idea from Donovan and Auriel - one makes the spell, the other powers it.

Your Blizzard moves in full force. Shining crystals sparkling with Shadow swarm around the tree, so dense its almost cut off from view. The few vines still remaining freeze in place, then snap off and vanish. The rest of the thing is covered in ice.

>mana: 30/90
>mana: 32/90 (regen)

When you blizzard fades, you're left with a frozen growth. It's encased in ice. Abigail sighs and sets the bottom of her scythe on the ground. "Is it over?"

>con't

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EMVNnzd2uA4

The crack in the sky pulses.

"Keep your guard up," Fang says. "Something's coming."

It pulses again. And again. The heartbeat grows stronger.

The ice covering the hole cracks, then shatters. And then you hear it.

ą̸͝u̢̨͢͜d҉͜͠D̡̛Ó̴H̴̀Ś̶̨͢͢@̸̷̷)̴̡̕(̧͘$̴͘̕I̸͠҉T̨́͜È̡͘͘Ń̢́͠9̨͜8̴̨2̵̧҉K̸͘͝I̶̵̡҉A͟Ư͜͢͡Ơ̵2͏̶́͢3̵́̕͟͡4́͘͞L̢̡̛̕҉Ş̕͜͜͟A̶̛͢J̀͘͜͜@̸̢̢͝0̀̕͠9͘͜͟͜*̛͢͏̡)̶̀*̨̕͠#̧͞@̧͘)̡̧̧͟͢_̸̴̶̢͡!̀̕̕͞)̴̵̧͟͢@҉̧͏9͝K̀͞͞A҉̢͜0̵͠9̸͠҉2̡!҉̛͠!̴̧)̵͜%͠͡L̸̵A͘҉̷Ş̴̛͟H̵͝͏̡&̢́͠$̸̴͢͝͡#͜(̧͡͝@͝͏́̕

The shriek fills your head. You cringe from the sound. Ila, Fang, and Melody slap their hands to their ears, trying to block it out. Abigail holds firm in the face of the awful shriek, her ears safely shielded by her helmet.

A light like a sun flares from the hole. Your Eclipse is forcefully burned out of the room.

Silence.

The hole pulses. No vines grow - the rest of the tree is still covered in ice. It pulses again.

A long, twisted limb reaches out of the hole. It's an arm with three joints, ending in a long claw. The flesh is pale, almost translucent, and it has the rough, mottled texture of some horrible disease. It contorts unnaturally as it extends further into the space.

A light builds at the joint between the claw and the arm.

You:

>use Nightblaze to counter the spell
>triple Void Bomb Alt 2
>cast Eclipse again
>Darkness within; chop the arm to pieces
>some other strategy

>>33034411
>triple Void Bomb Alt 2
Please guys, I need this.

>>33034411
Nightblaze

>>33034411
>use Nightblaze to counter the spell

>>33034411
FINAL BOSS ENTERS PHASE 2
>use Nightblaze to counter the spell
When has it ever failed us?

>>33034411
>>420NIGHTBLAZEIT

>>33034411
triple void bomb alt 2
I bet it would be glorious

>>33034411
>use Nightblaze to counter the spell

>>33034507
>>33034440

As a matter of fact, we don't have enough mana. Without eclipse it costs the full 50 mana.

Oh well, Nightblaze seems more popular anyway.

Roll 1d100

Rolled 22

>>33033976

Rolled 92

>>33034553

Rolled 92

>>33034553
Knobs.

Rolled 68

>>33034553

Rolled 95

>>33034553

>>33034574
>>33034578
SHADOW SUPER STRONK

Rolled 18

>>33034411
>triple void bomb alt2

Rolled 31

>>33034553
This shall be my last action tonight, may the dice gods let it count for something.

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Rolled 35

>>33034574
>>33034578

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>>33034574
>>33034578

>>33034553
Oneness would reduce the cost by 10, making it 40.

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>>33034574
>>33034578
Get on out Paul, It's Bill's Thread tonight!

>>33034651

Oh yeah, you're right. I always forget that.

>>33034669
You didn't forget to apply it to earlier uses of magic, did you? I'm not going to go back and check, but if you did then we totally did have enough for a VBalt2

>>33034693

The Eclipse savings overrides Oneness anyway, so no worries. 70% off Shadow magic would just be even more broken.

>>33034727
But did we get the savings on the eclipse itself?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XPiWUq5DUjE

<I'm going to cancel that spell,> you shout. <After that, hit it with everything you've got!>

You begin to build your Nightblaze. The light builds, too, into an orb of blazing energy. The heavy aura of your violet sphere and the gold crackle of the spell grow larger, until they're nearly touching. It's as if they're the same spell, only polar opposites of one another.

You fire at the same time.

The orbs tear through the air and collide. Wind whips the space as the lights clash and flicker. The opposing energies battle against each other, neither yielding ground. It's like watching the grindstones of the universe smashing against each other in a bid to pulverize the other to dust.

You push yourself into the spell, hurling more mana into it. The thing in the hole does the same. The wind begins to howl. The energy builds into a cyclone as both spells churn against one another, spinning in opposite directions.

The spheres begin to merge, bending each other out of the way to push forward. Your Nightblaze pushes forward, bending over the top of the orb of light. The light distorts the bottom of your spell. They don't fly by one another - they're locked together. They hurtle over one another in place, churning faster and faster.

You're still standing, everything you have focused on the clash of wills. You feel nostalgia. You feel the thing. You feel it fighting back against you. You're fighting the war you've fought for eons, another battle in a struggle that hasn't ever really ended.

>con't

The wind isn't wind as much as it is whips and snapping energy. Your allies are huddled on the ground, nursing their spells, not daring to fire yet. You roar. The thing shrieks. The whirling magic spins faster, faster, until it blurs into a solid grey mass somewhere between light and dark.

It shrinks, and implodes. Energy washes over the room. You're thrown backward your flesh burning, steaming from the blast. The arm of the monster is vaporized up to its second joint.

Your other allies are forced to shield themselves. Abigail stands against the storm and fires.

A barrage of Void Bombs is unleashed on the tree. Explosion after explosion rips through the room, shaking the barrier with the force, clearing the aftermath of your battle with the entity. When the smoke finally clears, the arm is gone, and the pulsing heartbeat of the hole has ceased. It seems to shrivel, slightly, as if retreating.

>Core radiation has been lowered to tolerable levels. Beginning remodeling.

<...it's starting,> you say.

Abigail looks at you. <I can't believe it's only been nine minutes. That felt like a lifetime.>

<Yeah. It did.>

----------------
----------------

>I got a shit-ton and a half to write now, so just sit tight.

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>>33034930
It begins.

All of you that are freaking out about the bad rolls, relax.

Our shards are currently resonant. Remember whenever we would roll bad and use one of them to compensate? We're doing that for EVERY roll now. We would need some seriously bad rolls to fail.

>>33034993

Soon to be 1

>>33035019
The thought saddens me.

File: BILL, BILL, BILL!.jpg (812 KB, 1224x792)

812 KB JPG

>>33034964
So it does....but on our terms this time.

Everyone.
It is now.
It has been one hell of a journey.
Through thick and thin, through shitstorms upon shitstorm, I have been with you. And now, we approach our final hour. It has been an honor.

Ladies and Gentlemen.
It is Happening.

File: Spoiler Image (1 MB, 245x172)

1 MB GIF

>>33035019
I warned you about David, my final trump card, my final... shard

>>33035051
Its been one hell of a ride.

>>33035051
>>33035063

Aw, sod off. It ain't over 'til it's over, and we've still a ways to go. Save the speeches for the epilogue gents. Right now we've a core to rebuild.

>That was SM's last post
>He never posts on /tg/ again
>Shadow Quest remains forever unfinished at the moment of its climax

>>33035124
That would be quite the ruse

>ib4 triple crit 1 on the reaction roll for whatever nastiness shows up after we send the others away leading to a "everybody dies, chaos wins" end

File: GTFO.gif (2.2 MB, 337x268)

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>>33035124
Stop.

>>33035146
I think the time of dice has ended.

Only Vigil now.

Too bad we didn't see more of the final boss than a spooky arm.

Geb, Hecate, and Leviathan wait atop the Vigil construct, and wait.

Their half of the ship divides itself into three sections. The great masses of steel implant themselves into the wall of a barrier, forming three domes arranged at the points of a triangle. A hatch opens in the domes.

>Please enter the energization compartments.

<I suppose this is our time,> Hecate says.

"If Shadow lied," Leviathan says, "I don't care what it takes. I'll come back again and I'll kill him."

<He didn't lie. I have it from my servant that he's quite a terrible liar, in fact.>

"Excuse me if I don't feel comforted."

But despite his complaints, Leviathan soars into his chamber. Geb is silent as he enters his; Hecate floats in, pensive. The doors shut behind them.

Energy glows from each one - orange, brown, blue. Lines connect the three domes, and they sit there.

A fourth dome flies in from the inner core, holding the condensed power of the four higher elementals. It locks in place above the other three, forming the point of a pyramid. Lines of energy shoot from this dome, until they're all connected.

>Initiating 'valve' type remodeling

The barrier begins to distort.

--------
--------

The towns of Demonclaw and Gaphold are the strongholds against demonic forces coming from the Lady's Finger. On that day, they had front row seats to a reshaping of the world. The panic was tremendous.

A tower grew from the crevice in the earth, a huge pyramid. It was tall - far too tall. By any engineer's measure, it would have collapsed at the slightest wind, but against common sense, it grew from the crack in the earth, larger, until it was unquestionably the largest structure in Venia.

At the very pinnacle of the glass-smooth, obsidian pyramid was a round dome.

>con't

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>>33035255
Fuckin spooky arms.

>>33035255
There's gotta be SOMETHING else, that was pretty anticlimactic

Literally one spell and Abby finished it off

The dome flared. A light shone from it, a constant, warm glow, bathing the dusky fields surrounding the gap like a second sun. Every mage in Venia could feel the absolute, radiating power. Even those with no magic could feel the mana resting on their skin, the brush of a feather, a sense of deja-vu that made them turn toward the source of their life and livelihood.

And there it stood, a massive, otherworldy construct, piercing through the clouds to the very top of the world.

--------
--------

You can feel the outer barrier change, grow. The pulses of energy of the lesser elementals stabilize the great tower that will channel the core's energy out into the world. And David - David is the kindling, an ignited torch that will burn for eternity.

But that's only temporary - it's driven by their latent power alone. You are the connection from the very inner core to the outer core, the pipeline that can withstand the flow of Chaos's pure energies and filter it into life-giving mana that will sustain Venia.

Through the portal leading back outside comes machinery - Vigil's crawling, climbing robotic servants. The machines clung their way across the ground and set up shop around the middle of the hole leading into the upper energy grid. They grow, and shift, and clank, and form an encapsulating shell around the power source. A pedestal slides into place in front of the machine.

>Step onto the insertion panel to complete the remodeling process.

>Five minutes remain.

<Vigil, take everyone back outside the barrier.>

>Understood. When the sentients exit the inner core, I will convey them to safety.

<...it's time,> you tell them. <I'll take it from here.>

Fang nods. <I suppose it is, at that. Until we meet again, Shadow.>

<Until then.>

Melody smiles at you. <You were not the god I expected, Shadow. You were far more.>

<Thanks.>

They walk away. Ila approaches you. She stares at you. Her lips quiver for a moment. She swallows.

>write-in

>>33035255
>he thinks we're done fighting

>>33035330
Well let's see, we could say stuff like how this isn't the end of her story, but the beginning of a new one on her terms, that she will love and happiness beyond us, and we're honored to have helped her along her way.

>>33035330
It's not a farewell, but a goodbye. We will meet again, you can be sure of that, sis.
>It's not and end, but a beggining for you.
One of those.

>>33035330
>>33035378
>>33035397

...and live your life well and at its fullest no matter what.

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>>33035330
>in the end shadow turns into a giant monolith that constantly beams out life giving mana

>>33035330
Ila, I'm not saying goodbye, but my return might take a while. Keep Abby safe until then?:

>>33035330
"Abby was pretty good in the sack."

>>33035330
DARKNESS OVERWHELMING SIBLING HUG

>>33035330
say nothing, give her a hug and be on our way

>>33035330
I figure we should hug her, but that'd be kinda awkward right in front of Abby. Maybe some sort of arm clasp? We should also probably have her pass along a final message to Flint and Adavan. Did we even say goodbye to Addy? I think it's a real shame that he's been so inconsequential since Hecate return. He was probably the most reliable character in early-to-mid Shadow quest.

>>33035330
<Don't be sad, Ila. I once saved the enslaved mages in the Ringed City, our brothers and sisters, at the risk of my own life.

I do that again, but for all.

Remember what I talked to you about. Don't become so fixated on me that you become blind to all the world around you.

Go live, Ila Marril.

To the fullest.>

Then bro-hug her.

>>33035397
>>33035378
>>33035409
Given that she's basically the rep of all the shadow mages, we should say something about how they now have a chance to rebuild the lives they never got to live.

>>33035459
Send wispbro on a final mission.

Send him to impression Adavan with an image of Hecate and he skipping through a field with Abby and ourselves throwing flowers at them from behind

>>33035459
adavan and shadow are bros5lyfe. No need for words

>>33035501
Well, yeah, they're telepathic.

>>33035500
HAH
do it

>>33035500
Can Wispbro even survive without us supplying him with prana? If so, I vote for this.

>>33035330
>>33035500

SUPPORTAN'!!! MUST BE DONE!

>>33035500
Yes!

>>33035500
...I actually kind of want to support this.
Screw it, support is being given.

>>33035500
Fuck, no, Flint and Adavan. For old times sake

>>33035330
Hand on her shoulder.
<Don't worry. I believe in you.>
Then when she inevitably loses composure and cries, then a hug is possible.

>>33035549
This is definitely a better idea. If Hecate doesn't come out the other side, this'll backfire in a huge way. We could also have Wispbro send Auriel the impression of her and Shadow skipping that we sent her way back in the day before she completely reversed her position.

>>33035584
>>33035549
I like these. A lot.

>>33035584
>>33035549
Both of these please. Going back to our roots before we step off the stage.

>open floor for Ila goodbye
>no one sure how to handle it, focus on sending the automaton off to give nostalgia to the more easily handled allies

>>33035549
I like it.

>>33035472
This is pretty solid, but I don't think rehashing the fixation bit is necessary. She's already started moving past it, and we should acknowledge that by not hammering on it so hard. A veiled scolding isn't the kind of thing we should be leaving her with.

Just got back for the very end, I suppose.

>>33035668
I think >>33035479
>>33035378

Might have the general idea covered?

>>33035644
well what the fuck do we say to the badass assassin we've spent god knows how long friendzoning?

>>33035694
Agreed.

>>33035694
More or less, yeah.

>>33035703
>badass assassin
>Her lips quiver for a moment. She swallows.
Must've been quivering with uncontrollable bloodlust.

>>33035694
Sure, we can go with that.

Now what do we say to Abigail...

>>33035330
Quickly before we walk to our death
<Vigil, what is David's current status?>

We need to know if he's alive, if he still has powerful magic, if he's a normal human now, something else, etc.

>>33035755
We'll find out later.

>>33035742
>having feelings makes you not a badass

....FUCK. Only now do I realize Shadow Quest was on.

>>33035549
Let's do it.

>>33035330
There a specific point we haven't brought up yet?"

>>33035958
We could hit on her to really fuck with her for the next couple years.

>>33035997
Flowery anon, that's your cue.

>>33036024
I'm running my own quest right now, I'm sure someone else can get a thesaurus and pitch in.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FgFsZ9PcPug

<What's wrong?>

Ila blinks a few times. "I - I don't know. This feels like goodbye."

<What?> you say. <Of course I'll be back. You know, don't think of this as an end.> You glance over your shoulder at the quiet machinery. <It's a beginning. Mark this day down. This is when you stopped living my story and started living yours. So make sure it's a good one.>

"Ok."

<Take care of them for me. Donovan is actually pretty clumsy.>

She makes a choked half-chuckle. "Yeah. I kinda figured that out after a while."

<Say bye to Adavan for me.>

"I will."

"I believe in you, you know? So don't worry."

Ila mumbles something, but it doesn't really make it out of her mouth. A tear rolls down her cheek.

You hesitate for a moment, then give her a hug. She hugs you back, tight. Suddenly, she lets go, and starts walking after Fang and Melody, forcing stiff limbs to move themselves forward.

She's strong. She'll be alright.

On a little afterthought, you send Wisp after her, with a little image stuck in his head, and orders to deliver it to your lich friend.

Abigail comes up to you. She says nothing - she just hugs you. You hold her for a long time, and kiss her cheek. <Bye, Shadow.>

<Bye, Abby. For a little bit.>

Abigail looks down at her feet, then back up at you. <You always were a really bad liar, you know.>

<...yeah.>

<I love you.>

<I love you too, Abby Sabby.>

>con't

<...I'll have to come up with a nickname for you, too> she says. <We'll work on it. Maybe Abby-Sabby Sabbatical Nyxistix Number 6?>

<Very funny.>

<I thought so.> She looks back up, and her eyes are shining. Her voice cracks as she says her next words aloud. "I don't want you to go."

You kiss her again. "Me neither. So I won't."

"Promise?"

"I promise," you say. "I always find my way back to you, eventually."

"Yeah. You always do. So you better not be lying."

You aren't able to say anything else, because it would probably be a lie.

"I'll see you, Abby," you whisper.

"...bye." Abigail turns, and hurries after the others. One hand wipes at her eyes.

Fang is waiting for her at the top of the rise. He ushers her through the portal. He glances back at you for a moment. <Thank you, Shadow, for saving her life.>

<You don't have to thank me for that.>

<...then allow me to thank you for saving mine. In more ways than one.> Fang places his fist over his heart, saluting you, and then ducks out through the portal.

You never thought you'd see the day. But then, you never thought you'd see quite a few of the days you've had lately.

------
------

>con't

You wait for a moment. You want to be sure they're safe.

That moment passes, but you don't move, because a part of you is very afraid.

You step into the machine.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sLTQ5PlEWko

A hum builds under your feet, numbing your skin. The machinery begins to turn. Crackling violet energy connects the steel panels as they whip around you faster and faster.

Suddenly, you can see the world underneath you, as if a map has been injected into your brain. You suspect it very well has been. The map changes and rotates as you think it, no, faster than you can think it. It knows what you want before you do.

You're hardwired into Vigil. It's an odd experience. You can pick out the leaves on individual trees. The health and biomechanics of an ant crawling on the tree flash in a panel next to you. You think about Arland, and the city is instantly in view. Expandable panels promise information on everthing from city-wide demographics and economic data to what Harvan Flint had for breakfast that morning.

You release the feeling of instant, unlimited knowledge, and focus on the task at hand. You can see what you have to do.

You push yourself into the machines.

Vigil is already positioned at where the ley lines of Venia connect back to the core. They're streams of mana, not as power as where the core was breached, but flowing outward between the points of order that keep the construct in place. You lock into these positions, and the barrier follows your will, molding huge projections directly into the crust of the world. It's like you're building a skeleton, a framework for the entire plate. You reinforce and promote the natural interactons that are already there.

>con't

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>>33036072
>"I promise," you say. "I always find my way back to you, eventually."
><...then allow me to thank you for saving mine. In more ways than one.> Fang places his fist over his heart, saluting you, and then ducks out through the portal.

This takes energy - it takes your energy. You can feel it dragging on you, pulling on you. Vigil is keeping you numbed to the sensations. You imagine it would be akin to making yourself the dynamo of an airship - only worse. Much worse. You're very glad you're separated from the pain.

The bridges into the crust are complete. The sphere is linked into the continent with a massive framework.

The inner core extends. It becomes less a sphere, and changes into am elongated teardrop. You connect it to the base of the construct piercing through the Venian plate. The mana begins to flow from the core and out into the monolith.

The machinery spins faster. You can feel yourself being drawn foward, split apart. You're being physically forged into the base of the machine. You are the containment of the core's energies. You're a filter.

The pain is increasing, now. It feels like someone is pulling your skin in two directions, and then pulling them back the other way, twisting and turning until it's on fire.

Mana flows through the inner core and out, through the base of the construct, and then into the tower. The glowing sphere pulses, in the same rhythm as the entity's heartbeat, and then the pulsing steadies, until it's a smooth, uninterrupted stream. The beam of energy is controlled and condensed by the barrier, then released over the continent.

It's working.

>Stable conditions realized.
>Initating finalization of remodeling.

You brace yourself.

Abigail's face flashes in your mind. You hold onto the image.

The pain's starting to fade. A tiny hope burns in you. You just have to keep it together. You focus on that idea. Stay concious. Stay centered. You can -

...

-----------
-----------

>con't
>in a while. Lots of writing.

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>>33036058
>On a little afterthought, you send Wisp after her, with a little image stuck in his head, and orders to deliver it to your lich friend.

>>33036072
<...I'll have to come up with a nickname for you, too> she says. <We'll work on it. Maybe Abby-Sabby Sabbatical Nyxistix Number 6?>

Time for Tears

I want to smile and be happy but why cant I stop crying

>>33036133
Time for hidden memory/video file from Erebus?

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Goodbye, Shadow.