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Memory’s end in a momentary glimpse of total white and disorientation forcing your eyes closed, enduring the attack on your senses while a faraway wail reminded you of a wounded animal as the scenery was completely engulfed, removing the dreariness of the atmosphere surrounding a most spirited duel; you’ve successfully prevented the corruption of this memory, allowed its continuity to proceed undeterred. Perhaps Athena forgot all about this event surrounding her early childhood; a personal piece of her past laid bare before your eyes… How would you react if one of the women you are linked to witnessed the murder of Avina? Nevertheless you can feel proud of this potent pain staining your soul for you’ve kept a precious part of your wife-to-be whole; the ring on your finger grows warmer as if agreeing with your inner pep-talk until you find yourself on your feet once more, foot firmly planted on the rocky ground of your bridge.

‘’Damn…’’

A momentary unbecoming swear squeezed itself past your grunting throat, bright white light of the rousing flame kindled ominously as it projected even more illumination; the straight line carrying a small legacy of your kingdom became an otherworldly serpentine path, with the nice smooth rocks eroded by advanced age, bleeding out sinister red from the uncountable cracks and opening littering its surface, undoubtedly perverting your sacrifice of stability. Strategic lampposts remained whole but there was no denying a clear increase in dark spots between stations, jumping was an unfortunate impossibility given the distance between paths, revealing a familiar dreadful, murky abyss.

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No telltale sign betrayed any presences aside from yours, the dark lizardwoman shade that obstructed your progress and forced that memory upon you had long vanished while the dreary progress of the unnatural dark presence at your back had redoubled efforts during your absence as a significant part of the path behind you had disappeared into dark, no pebbles gave hint as to what could have happened, it was easier to believe the bridge was being swallowed whole inches by inches

Without others choices, progressing onward despite forced detours became your next course of actions; the golden glower of the ring around your finger would diligently light your path as you stepped into obscurity and time trudged on without interruption as you peeled your senses for any hints betraying the lurking Beast, or a resurgence of the dark entity nested within Athena arm. Unfortunately the sole certainty to be gained was that encroaching foggy phenomenon; the urgent sense that something wasn’t right quickened your heartbeat but your logical side quickly blamed paranoia, thus you quickly decided to distract yourself while putting a knot in your emotions as you’ve so often done in the past, the only objective is a self-imposed one to reach toward that small burning white fire that –has- to be Athena soul.

--

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Even with the proof that the logic you’ve been accustomed too isn’t anchoring this world of souls the distinctive impression of wasting your time grew from a burgeoning nagging into a frustrating certainty, the bloody path of the bridge felt cloned form one another. All the damages of fake erosions and seeping blood akin to a biological wound was a perfect copy-paste, the ring would faithfully illuminate your path until you reached another lantern and you’d then round a corner or continue on your path, thirty… forty turns without interruption, the kindling white flame wasn’t anywhere within reach and finally, you decided to stop under a new alchemical light, this lantern had a strange tint of blue… but you paid it no mind.

‘’I don’t think back and forth matters anymore’’

Talking to oneself may seem to invite madness but you are convinced Athena has to be somewhere and, unlike the Beast, she cannot read your mind despite your linked souls; perhaps something happened back in the world you yearn for, if this place is anything close to the dwelling of the Beast, you can understand why it want to incarnate so much…

Dammit all this silence make one mind wander!

Perhaps you ought to go and search for the last entity plaguing your wife-to-be; the Beast had completely disappeared and that was your problem which is why it sought you out relentlessly after spoiling its half-baked plot but whatever remains of the Nightmare is another story as it, evidently, only aim for your knightly amazon. While you can evidently consider yourself benevolent facts remains you are still an intruder encroaching inside this place, meaning your next course of action...

>Was evident from the start; turn back and head for the darkness.
>Is to keep to your guts feeling and continue on ahead, try to rouse or find Athena consciousness
>[Free]

>>31712195
Were we told to find Athena and face the Nightmare together, or to simply find the Nightmare and dispatch it once Hadraniel destroyed its main physical body?

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>>31712324

There's no ''proper'' way to find it and dispatch it given that your memories after Athena confession and proposal have sort of dissapeared. Based on what you've experienced thus far, this is a call you need to make on your own.

>>31712195
>Is to keep to your guts feeling and continue on ahead, try to rouse or find Athena consciousness
If the Nightmare is going after Athena then I wan't to get to her first

>>31712195
>Is to keep to your guts feeling and continue on ahead, try to rouse or find Athena consciousness

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>>31712480
>>31712470

Well then, time for me to get to it.

>>31712195
>>Is to keep to your guts feeling and continue on ahead, try to rouse or find Athena consciousness

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>>31712195
>Gut Feeling Go

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Gut feeling time I guess. Besides, we're more like guests here anyway. It's the other two who aren't invited to this party.

And here it is.

>>31712395
monstergirls can't love monstergirls

>>31713427

You'll be proven wrong soon enough

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>>31713427
I don't know man. Girls liking girls is a thing, so I'm pretty sure there's some monstergirl yuri going on somewhere. Not enough men to go around see.

For a moment conflicted ambitions roots you on the spot under the still lantern; it feels like you’ve been fruitlessly walking on this warped bridge for a few hours, more than enough time to close in with the kindling white flame; if there’s a barrier of some kind it’s obviously beyond normal magical means and for a moment you feel a genuine fear, what if Athena has already been caught by this second entity?

You hear a distinctive scratching from your left hand, three of your fingers (major, index and ring fingers) were still warped in crystallised state yet still flexible enough to ball in a fist, albeit with some difficulties; nonetheless the inhuman sacrifice you’ve done to save the memory of her early childhood hasn’t evaporated entirely and, as you set out forward once more in the darkness with the golden ring illuminating your path anew, you start to tap into this source, it feels so familiar… unlike this place, this ring and your wife-to-be memory, the only remnant of familiarity come from this swirling power inside you, inside this large soul of yours.

--

5 turns, nothing to show for it, as expected.

25 times you’ve rounded the unnatural corners of this bridge, part of you feels like you’ve been walking a helix only to make sharp, unnatural curves as the bridge bent at odd, awkward angles.

40 turns, when you rounded the oncoming corner you actually had to ascend a few centimeters; you tried to hail Athena, speak her name, try to rouse interest without screaming, the only thing you earned was a flickering of the ring acting as torch, as if somehow acknowledging you.

50 turns showed a slight descent of the straight path, blood had polled up to your ankles, staining your boots and creating a disgustingly squishy sound that hadn’t anything to do with liquid, part of you felt taunted, however as you looked at you crystals, sharp fingers nearly transformed into claws you decided to stop after walking out of the small pool to the refuge of the light as an idea finally struck you…

You’ve been going on for hours and your scenery finally changed, bit by bit, continuously assaulting your sense of directions and only now evolving to harass your sanity, you have a very personal ability in stock, a little ‘’projection’’ of your inner self as it were, but is it safe to act upon it when you are undoubtedly interaction, and perhaps even dwelling, inside Athena soul?

Would she trust you enough to allow some kind of interaction? Perhaps you’ll irreversibly stain her, change something very personal about your wife-to-be but continuing on screaming for the knight has already proved somewhat fruitless, yet this slow change you’ve been experiencing is far, far from secure. Not even the lurking presence of the Beast can be blamed and the usual ‘’certainty’’ of the soul links with the other girls cannot be felt, for the very first time, you are truly alone.

>Spend the last remains of your sacrifice to –force- a change. A guest you may be, but perhaps you ought to be a little ruder.

>Continue on, you’ll find your foe soon enough, or reach your destination… right?

>[Free]

>>31713745
>>[x] Continue on, you’ll find your foe soon enough, or reach your destination… right?

Rolled 2, 10, 1 = 13

>>31713745
>Continue on, you’ll find your foe soon enough, or reach your destination… right?

>>31713745
Could we use the soul link to try and connect with Athena?

>31713745
>>Spend the last remains of your sacrifice to –force- a change. A guest you may be, but perhaps you ought to be a little ruder.
The changes to the metaphysical landscape are troubling. Force a change.

>>31714023

Unfortunately not, you can't feel any of the girls as I've described in the last line of the update.
At least, you can't do it in the usual way

>>31714080
Would thinking about her do us any good? Focusing on the sweet memories as we wander around might help us get closer to our goal.

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I think I've waited long enough, it seems like the second option is the most popular.

>>31714169

You can operate this way if you wish

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>>31714179
I've been playing Dark Souls 2 since it released on PC the other night and I keep wishing it was in the Tale of Monsters world. Damn you and your stupid sexy fluffy narrative.

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>>31715261

Given how Souls game take place in a ruined kingdom, do you truly wish for that?

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>>31715382
Monster Souls would take place in an alternate world where you got your way and Zipangu got rekt.

We'd play as Tiny Fluff.

>>31715601

That'd be... pretty damn sad.

>>31715261
I've never played those games, I guess I should get around to that. I do know that setting was an inspiration for the swamp and it's a magical place where everything is trying to kill you.

Are they really as good as people say they are? I'm on a budget here and I can't afford to buy crap games.

>>31715690

In term of atmosphere? Absolutely, the scenery and overall design is what inspired me for the swamp, not the story or lore.

Also update incoming, sorry for taking so long, I'm rusty.

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>>31715790
Welp, looks like I'll be buying at least the first one once I get mo' money then. Rejoice, these threads you run have gotten me into another series and setting. The first one was Muv-Luv.

>>31715923

Demon Soul world 1-5 ought to be seen and experienced as well, if you can anyway. It's a wonderful place. Probably the single area where I draw the majority of my ideas.

>>31715965
It's a long runner then? Shit, better find some ways to save more dosh.

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>>31715690
Dark Souls Prepare to Die edition on PC is pretty great but has a difficulty curve more like a wall you have to get over with your corpses and tears. You also pretty much have to have a xbox 360 controller to play it (you can use a ps3 controller but I never got the driver emulator software to play nice with the game).
I haven't made up my mind yet on Dark Souls 2 - for the first few hours it was very meh and a lot of things rubbed me the wrong way but it has been growing on me by leaps and bounds since.

So far DS2 is a lot easier to get into and just pick up and play but DS1 had a more rewarding experience. DS2 is also full price right now for $50 DS1 is only $20 (plus $30 or whatever it is for a controller if you don't have one).

>>31715965
World 1 was the Boletarian level, right? I never got very far into Demon Souls.

>>31716033
Demon's Souls came first and then the developer moved to a different publisher but couldn't keep the Demon's Souls IP so they just made a new world with basically the same/improved game mechanics and called it Dark Souls.

For a moment you feel tempted to unleash what remains of this memory into the depths of this place, even your warped fingers feels itchy for some kind of release yet… to use what remains means losing whatever remains of a precious, precious memory you’ve no doubt treasured; to not even know what you’ve lost is a sad frustration you’ll have to put up with but the prospect of losing even more is dreadful indeed, you’ll no doubt find your destination, in essence this long detour could be instilling you with enough paranoia to do something drastic and-undoubtedly- stupid.

--

‘’How long has it been?’’

Chairs had been pulled at a safe distance from the two tables after the young mage unleashed series of crystals, remains of several projectiles adorned the roof, walls and even a few bookcases, literally rooting them in the ground with shiny, pointy minerals protruding outward, completely and utterly warping the wooden materials and combining to create an unique, unmovable piece of furniture still pulsing with magic despite his body free of Focus.

‘’Five hours, we must be in the early hours of the morning.’’

The numbers of actors had radically changed after a heated confrontation with the clan clergy that was, fortunately, intimidated into silence once Tsukiyomi-no-Mikoto used a little glamour to scare them off while simultaneously forcing the hands of the young Rahall; nonetheless they had every reason to be scared after the surge of corruption after Hadraniel duel, which led into a magical wave potent enough to be felt throughout the entire city coming from the young man a few minutes after his hypnosis.

The young swordsman Zechariah had stubbornly decided to stay despite the futility after being so rudely interrupted; Sylphis, Leila, Mylen, Emeth… Even the Oomukade had forced themselves inside despite the risks, while previously they all lingered inside the tight hallway in front of the library now they lay here and there lazily, waiting for one of the duo to wake up.

‘’No corruption…’’

The Demon Lord whispered to herself while massing her flank, the notes of her predecessor told about this little experiment with one of the clear side effect being a continual spew of corruption like some kind of river from one of the party; evidently that was either wrong or something was going on preventing this nasty side effect.

One person was braving the danger, a golden fluffy tailed rival had both her hands resting upon the sleeping partners, her large vulpine ears laid flat on her head as her back presented the dutiful crown of fluff behind her.

Part of her felt like walking to her side to initiate some kind of dialogue, the soul link with the young man was a worrying empty shell however the aura projected by the queen-mother was an obvious scream for solitude and right now Daiyu felt stumped and useless, something undoubtedly felt by everyone else.

Whether ruling over monsters and master of corruption manipulation or the godmother of an entirely new way of magic doesn’t mean you can do everything.

Daiyu couldn’t help a dejected laugh at this thought.

‘’She’s getting pale.’’

Something uttered by the Queen-Mother sprang two women in action, one being an angel enjoying a makeshift white fluffy bed and the others being an overtly worried Demon Lord; physical changes of any kind during this operation would be the first telltale sign of trouble, however Daiyu and everyone else in the room save for Tsukiyomi were drawn toward the wounded angel. While healed up thank to the purifier, the gallant armor she so loved adorning had to be discarded due to excessive damage and her walking had an obvious sway, even so she made her way toward her fellow long haired blond who had fallen asleep beside the mantis and Oomukade, all the girls huddled together while waiting on their own.

‘’Leila’’

Hadraniel voice was breathless while queen Ame-no-Uzume came to help her walk.

‘’Lend me your sword’’

‘’And what do you intend to do with it?’’

The one to interrupt the stride of the Embodiment and the queen was none other than Mylen, perhaps the only person that’d be able to do it in the first place, she came between the sleeping trio (now awaken of course) and the angel and queen without pointing at them with her weapons… yet.

‘’I don’t think there’s much time left. I can… I can feel the link, faint like some echoes and it’s not good. Not good at all.’’

''How!?''

This time, Daiyu had to speak; how could this angel say something like that despite all the proofs and shared experience?

''I don't think it's Siegfried.''

--

‘’…’’

Putting voice to your anger might help, instead your hands balls in fists as you reach the end of your path; the bridge had become something of an experience as you trudged along filling your mind with thoughts of your wife-to-be, perhaps trying to bait her into action. You remembered your first encounter, how she called out ‘’milord’’ only to stop as time passed and you became familiar with the amazon knight, the very first time you fought together against bandits, the near perfect coordination while destroying the ice golem, that time you got upset as she kept talking about seeking a ‘’beautiful death’’… and of course the memento you left her as she went on this journey with Ame-no-Uzume.

You’ve definitely lost a few chances but you still managed to make precious memory with this quiet, conflicted woman; it may be your role to drag her to the spotlight but now… The scenery of the bridge had changed before you were forced to stop, blood would start leaking from the lanterns, turning the light red while your foot would oftentimes crush some kind of meaty pulp, other time the middle ground would separate in two as if trying to obstruct your progress and you soon took off in a run, only now stopping as you gazed into dreadful abyss with the white flame somehow out of reach, having never moved from its previous spot…

’Siegfried’’

A quiet voice called you, a small murmur behind you felt nearly physical as it tickled your ear while sending a cold sweat down your spine; the golden ring never abated its light but now, its strong projection started diminishing ever so slightly.

Perhaps you’ve made the wrong choice, or perhaps you’ve been stubborn enough to coax something out of this entity, facts remains that you aren’t alone anymore… but you’ve also came close to your destination.

>Spend the last of your acquired power to go toward the flame
>Turn around face what called for you in such an unfamiliar, chilly voice.
>Free

>>31716189
>World 1 was the Boletarian level, right? I never got very far into Demon Souls.


Oh damn, I meant 5-1 and 5-2. Total brain fart on my part.

>>31716357
Turn and face.

>>31716357
>Turn around face what called for you in such an unfamiliar, chilly voice.
Let's hope this isn't the second mistake we make tonight.

I've been having some interruptions, nevertheless I'll proceed with what's chosen.

Also given the nature of this little arc, are you guys okay with this continuous use of >greentext choices?

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>>31716846
What's the worst that could happen?

Besides Monster Souls?

>>31716896
Yes. It helps to focus us.

>>31716912
We lose Athena, the Nightmare gets a new body, and immediately attacks Hadraniel in her weakened state, kills Bletsia because she's got no fighting experience and is right there and the Nightmare would target her because it would cause Hadraniel the most pain.

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>>31716965
Well we still have the last shred of that memory if it's the damn nightmare. Can we be super paranoid and try to keep an eye on the flame and the new arrival at the same time?

And losing Bletsia is the worst thing that could happen. We need her for the bailout tier magic scrolls she can make. And the fixing of that throne, restoration of the stones... She's very integral to a full on happy ending.

Though in all seriousness he'd shank Siggy first. Nothing like losing your man. Bletsia would definitely be next, because losing a daughteru is also a kick to the psychological balls.

>>31716357
>>Spend the last of your acquired power to go toward the flame
We strong

>>31716357
>>Spend the last of your acquired power to go toward the flame

>>31717265
If we use it to get to the flame, then we won't have it available to use against the Nightmare that we're pretty sure is around here.

On the other hand, the link is starting to fail and we're running out of time.

I think that it's the Nightmare calling our name, and that once we make sure that's what called us, we use the rest of our power to blast it.

Wait. Did the Nightmare ever call our name before?
I remember we fought it once before, but did it ever hear our name? Would it have been able to pick it up through Athena or Hadraniel?

If the voice is the Nightmare, why would it call our name? Why not simply attack?
The only reason to do so, to call out to us, would be to stall us. To delay us from getting to the fire.
So we should go to the flame as quickly as possible.

If it's not the Nightmare, who is it? We don't know the voice, so it's not anyone we know. Who could come into the Soul Link like this?

>>31718470

The choice has already been made anon, I've written a good deal but... I could restart if you guys really wish to.

>>31718545
I think we should think on this a little more.
Consider who it could be that is calling our name and their purpose in doing so.

I mean, it could be the Nightmare trying to delay us, but it might be another one of Athena's manifestations.
Was the voice masculine or feminine?

>>31718654

Feminine, nearly bone chilling yet still holding a bit of Athena tone but warped, changed, as if speaking underwater.

>>31718710
I can't remember, but did the Nightmare ever show an ability to mimic other voices?
Specifically, when we heard it talk, and then we went memory diving in Hadraniel's past and heard her brother's voice, comparing the two, did the Nightmare's voice sound like a corrupted version of Hadraniel's brother?

>>31718762
Or a corrupted version of Hadraniel's? We did hear it speak in the swamp so this would be important.

>>31718762

No, it sounded ''normal'' and even feminine, but it was also not recovering from a trashing.

>>31718710
A small bit of Athena maybe?

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I've stopped my progress for now because I really want to make sure if you guys want to continue with this option, I've taken much longer than usual due to a few interruptions tonight but that's my fault.

Is the option to turn around -still- the popular one?

>>31718832
So that makes me think it's not the Nightmare. I mean, if it was recovering from a thrashing, why would it sound like Athena?

We seem to have wasted time and put Athena in danger by taking the long route to her flame. But would turning to face this other entity take as long? It might be another bit of Athena, like that statue before. It might have important information for us.

But we are on a timer here, it seems, and Athena herself could probably tell us if its important when we get to her flame.

>>31718927
I don't mind either way, I flipped a coin when I went for to go forward

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>>31718957

It's a gamble, you are obviously running out of time as shown in my tidbit in the real world, whether it's the nightmare or one of Athena memory, I can't answer that.

Shall I make a roll to decide it once and for all?

>>31719036
No, go ahead with turning around.
If it's the Nightmare, we can fight it and use the remains of our power to defeat it.
If it's a memory, maybe it's important.

And I hope that this delay is the right choice. We've already made a mistake once tonight.

>>31719036
I'm for turning.
Lets hope it's right

>>31719036
Main objectives over only potentially beneficial side objectives. Press on!

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>>31719135
Don't worry guys, worst case everyone gets nightmare end and we start the sequel quest, Monster Souls, where we play as Fluffy Tail having to put down the abominations that were her parents and their inner circle while simultaneously trying to defend the innocent and uncorrupted monster folk of Zipangu from the church's purgation kill teams.

>>31719260
But the problem is that our main objective is to defeat the Nightmare, and it's potentially right behind us while we're holding a FUCK YOU power-up in our hand.
If it's the Nightmare, we could potentially end this right now.
Going towards Athena's soul is only because that's a destination, not our objective.

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>>31719273
Sounds delightful.

>>31719322
>we're holding a FUCK YOU power-up in our hand
And that's exactly why it won't be the Nightmare.

>>31719036
Go forward towards the flame. We've wasted too much time.

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>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5V4ZjmQxVwM

Were you inside your body, you’d likely feel a whisper of hesitation telling you the perfect contrary of what you are about to do; the entire path forward had been unceremoniously cut, you’d have to sacrifice and use up what remains of your memory to go forward, alternatively…
Perhaps the hunter found its prey.

You protectively put your crystallised hand over the ring finger, by now the bright blue foggy crystals had expended from a mere three fingers to cover the entirety of your hand; sensations had disappeared entirely and you had to be careful to avoid scratching yourself as you turn around while steeling yourself for the worst, allowing the remnants of your memory to progress along your flesh as the golden light dims…

You feel a sharp, potent and thankfully brief pain inside your forehead between your brows before your eyes even register anything wrong.

‘’Siegfried’’

Again with this bone chilling feminine voice, the tone held familiarity but the inherent warmth or dignity surrounding Athena is nowhere to be found and the buzzing pain disappear as you stubbornly shoulder it without even massing your head, no, you simply take a few steps back to stand directly under the carmine tinted lamp as the unreal psychological pressure continue on unabated, nearly inducing nausea, as if something was trying to crawl its way into your head.

A vaguely humanoid shaped face is floating in the darkness a few inches away from the lamp, somehow projecting its own dull dreary white light allowing only half of its upper face to be shown, small dull pearl-shaped orbs laid in its sockets without eyelids, allowing continue stare without interruptions.

‘’Ugh!’’

No bodies underneath, as if one with the darkness an otherworldly pressure force a moan of pain, your entire forehead feels constricted and pressed upon while your eyes are kept open, as if invisibles threads make your eyelids unable to close

‘’Agh! Dammit!’’

Blood flow from your nose, falls from your eyes and a few red lines falls down your ears as if your eardrums erupted, vertigo and disorientated confounded your senses as your vision fog as if surrounded by the distortion of flames, everything around this damnable face I swaying continuously while its dull epicenter is clear and crisp.
This isn’t the same as your confrontation with the Beast; this creature, this Nightmare, is a remnant of horror belonging to the Demon Lord reigning before Daiyu Jawahir, a lunatic of a man that’d be right at home inside the swamp. You doubt the Beast and this entity would see eyes to eyes, while the ambition behind its efforts to corrupt a precious memory is lost to you, this creature this… Nightmare is entirely different.

It’s a hunter of the soul, an entity stalking the innermost depths of one’s mind tirelessly working to warp a person into something else, something that shouldn’t be; what better ways is there to create a vessel than to removes ones memories entirely in order to create a husk unable to resist? Whatever remained of Hadraniel brothers is long, long gone now, before you is one of the last trophy of a monsters that –should- have been killed with the passing of the era, yet stayed smart enough to create contingency in case Hadraniel were to come out victorious…

‘’Didn’t expect me?’’

Of course it came into a snag, namely Siegfried Shieffer soul link and subsequent ability to stalk a person soul, be thoroughly welcomed into it… One is an intruder, the other, a guest.

Some kind of tiny tendrils floats up toward your hand protecting by your crystal fist, a potent wave of nausea force you to vomit blood but you cling on, its warped fingers a few centimeters from your forearm already sent jolt of electricity to force motions in your muscles; its psychological pressure is phenomenal, greater than what you experienced with Daiyu aura of gravity. You are literally forced on your knees unable to move, yet still very much able to resist; this entity is right at home when it comes to hurting souls after all, no need to relentlessly kill you when it can continuously put you at distinct disadvantage.

‘’Uuuurg!’’

A moan of pain exit your mouth as you reject another bile of blood as its long fingers caress your arms while invisibles hands molest the back of your head, you feel like you’ve forgotten how to cast…
However, the ring protected by your crystal hand burst; creating a large golden bubble that send the creature screaming in disorientation, momentarily freeing you – while simultaneously cementing a doubt you had all this while.
This small precious object around your finger –is- without doubt, Athena’s soul.

>Spend the remainder of your power to flee toward the flame, if that thing doesn’t belong to Athena, then it has to be yours.
>Confront your enemy! Dead to the remnants of the Old Demon Lord!
>[Free]

>>31719800
I want to say book it to the flame and regroup but I'm afraid of our time limit and this may be our only chance to deal with it.

>>31719800
Confront it, this thing dies now

>>31719800
>Confront your enemy! Dead to the remnants of the Old Demon Lord!
Use what power we have left from our sacrifice to destroy the Nightmare. We defeat it now, and our main objective is complete.

>>31719800
>>Confront your enemy! Dead to the remnants of the Old Demon Lord!

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>>31719800
>>Confront your enemy! Dead to the remnants of the Old Demon Lord!
then sexy time with angel san

>>31719800
>Spend the remainder of your power to flee toward the flame, if that thing doesn’t belong to Athena, then it has to be yours.
Leg it. This thing making it this far by always having a contingency plan makes it sound like a trap.

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Rolled 20

>>31720037
>>31720013
>>31719980
>>31719970

This is likely to be a fast battle with potentially heavy consequences...

Roll 1d20

Rolled 10

>>31720101
Time for nat ones!

>>31720101
Well shit

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>>31720101

...Oh dear.

Rolled 9

>>31720101
Oh for fuck's sake.

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Rolled 6

>>31720101
>20

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>>31720101
And everything went better than expected.

Rolled 7

>>31720101
nat 1

>>31720175
You know that it's not us that got the nat20, but the Nightmare, right?

Or are you the anon that wants Athena to die?

>>31720101
>A Tale of Monsters - 115, End.
RIP Sigfried

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>>31720196
Well now I just feel foolish. And afraid.

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>>31720101
Oh fucking hell, I knew they'd turn on us eventually. Welp, looks like we're gonna have to munch on our soul again...

>>31720247
Better us then the girls

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>>31720101
Fuck.

Rolled 12

>>31720101
Whelp, thanks for running this for so long. Work some on your grammar and writing and see you next quest.

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>>31720295
>Work some on your grammar and writing

But I do, all the time.

>>31720267
>better us than the girls
Except if the Nightmare wins, there's nothing protecting the girls. In fact, since they're all clustered there with Hadraniel, they'll count as 'helping' and supercharge the Nightmare to kill every single one of them.

>>31720101
I'm sad I'm late and couldn't convince people to turn back. Ah well. Was nice while it lasted.

>>31720348
That's why we (hopefully) salvage a double KO

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>>31720295
I don't think he'll kill us because of one roll. He will however, hurt us somehow. That pain will likely come in the form of forcing us to use another precious memory to go SSJ again.

The more of those we lose the more it'll bite us in the ass at an unspecified date and time.

>>31720348
But we're alone in the soul world. That's really the only thing we have going for us right now. Athena can't do anything and thus can't power it up.

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>implying I will read the next post
Siegfried beats all the bad guys, fucks his waifu's and lives happily ever after with his kids

The end

>>31720442
If it wasn't a crit success, that might happen but no. Look at what crit results have done for us in the past. Something seriously bad is gonna happen. I'm just assuming someone is dead or might as well be dead at this point.

>>31720334
Try harder!

>>31720493
Doesn't hurt to optimistic and hope it just hurts Siggy
(Except when I'm wrong)

>>31720483
>Athena can't do anything
Wrong

>>31720526
You do realize the author loves suffering, right? I'm sure he's laughing at all the things he can do atm.

>>31720531
She better not sacrifice herself

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>>31720613

I'm hurting real bad right now, true story.

>>31720613
I know.
One can dream though.

>>31720639
Sure you are. I'm expecting the worst. Athena taken over, Haddy badly wounded at the best and Siegfried messed up.

>>31720613
Well, getting a Bad End in a quest would be a novel sight so I'm waiting with bathed breath.

>>31720739

Not quite bad end as I've reduced the intensity of crit failures and success a while ago.

>>31720791
Which limb do we keep

>>31720902

Which do you want to give?

>>31720958
The one between our legs

>>31720958
Left arm

>>31720902
>keeping any
How optimistic.

>>31721038
Hey,
He did say he reduced crits.
We may even keep our face!

>>31720958
Doesn't matter. Losing anything at this point is just going to result in us losing later encounters based on what we have to face still. People bit off more than they could chew by thinking it would be smart to fight now.

>>31720958
Right arm. We"ll have a matching... err, missing set with Athena if both her and Siggy survive this.

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>>31720902
That's not the question, the real question is what precious memory we're going to have to sacrifice to salvage this. Siggy can't control what he gives up yet, just that it's something good.

He liked that memory about mom, a lot, but it's gone now. Next we'll forget our first time with Mylen, the first time we touched Ame's fluffy tails and became an addict for that fluff, or the time we did something horrible that strengthened our resolve to be a better man.

Bad memories can be a good thing too remember. Negative memories, once lived through, make one into a stronger person if you actually "deal with it". Your trials and tribulations are a crucible that forges an indomitable will and make you a true man/woman.

>>31720971
I'd vote a pinky, it's a traditional sacrifice for a Shamfur Dispray. Cutting it off and handing it off to the boss is how you get out of the Yakuza after all.

>>31721126
It's cool, he can still go full Ravenor. We have the (magi)technology!

>>31721185
Siggy in mobile ice throne.
Fund it

>>31721169
Wonder when we lose memories of Avena

>>31720958
Left leg.
We can get a prosthetic and a badass cane. Sever lack of protagonists with a limp and a pimpin' cane.

I bet people regret not just killing Athena earlier now.

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>>31721357
Oh no we ain't regretting keeping her around, what we regret is the fact that the dice hate all players in the end.

>>31721385
Don't you find it amusing? When OP rolled for Hadraniel for us, he got a nat 1. When the nightmare rolls, he got a nat 20.

Might have to do a little overtime until we get this event settled. Regardless, update coming soon.

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>>31721523
He got a 2 if I recall that encounter correctly. He also crit failed with Athena trying to kill us. I've said it. I've said a thousand times anons ain't I been sayin' it I've been sayin' it.

Dice are the fucking fey. They love you, they hate you, and they do both at the same damn time. Thus you get the long con. Oh yeah, you get momentary victories, so you never totally distrust them. But in the end, they want you to suffer. For it is amusing to them.

>>31721635
And this is why you minimize their influence by avoiding unnecessarily getting into situations where a roll is called for.

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>>31721731
True, but Siggy does have access to hax. The problem is the cost for said hax. I still think everyone will make it out of this one alive and whole, but at the cost of not one but TWO precious memories Siggy held dear and precious. Without even knowing what they are.

Suffering comes in many forms anon. Even not suffering can be a suffering all its own. It is such a terrible thing, to forget. But far more terrible, is it to forget even forgetting.

>>31721858
>everyone will make it out of this one alive
Most likely.
>and whole
Now that would be just plain disappointing.

>>31721526
Will you tell us where we made mistakes?
Was it not going for the flame the first time?
Or the second time?

>>31721901
I should rephrase that. "Whole" means "with all combat capabilities intact", not "whole" as in totally OK.

Everyone doesn't really suffer combat wise long run, but socially? Yeah no. We're gonna lose a damn good memory for this, one we'll wish we'd have kept. Either because it'd help us win another encounter, or because we'll rue the day we see the face of a waifu crying because we don't remember a day that, for her, was pivotal in why she came to love us.

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>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZW3Qq7Z4wDA (I think it’s fitting for the rest of the thread, yup)

You don’t have time for fancy speeches or talk of revenge; the sheer, raw momentous power of crystals that is yours and yours alone burns to preserve the humanity of the woman you love, your wife-to-be soul is to be protected and kept whole like these luminous sharp pieces you’ve come to admire and love; ice change and melts but the clear-cut minerals of crystals and stalagmites offer a much, much fiercer resistance, perhaps this is why you’ve always had a certain affinity for solid ice.

The transformation continue from your forearm to engulf your elbow and soon enough progress to your shoulder as you spring to action while holding the ring close to your chest; the pressure is already back despite the interruption of the ring, the feminine gargled scream bring you a satisfied bloodlust; this last remnants of crystallised memory is far, far from enough to remake your trusty bow and ammunition, you swathe away the tendrils reaching for your back, hands and face; the sharps clawed fingers cutting them without resistance as you focus what remains of this memory around your forehead, feeling it travels your body in a welcome wave of warmth, something akin to a motherly embrace; you have a small target to hit, this white face is standing still despite the interruption of this gold, your shot is lined up perfectly!

‘’Thank, Athena’’

--

’Ah!? Hold on!’’

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A panicked voice from a diligent Queen-Mother brought all attention to the table while the angel clutched her chest, massing her heart while holding the opened sword shimmering with the color of pearls, for an instant, Daiyu felt overwhelmed, unable to look left and right at two consecutive events before a surge of corruption brought her running beside Tsukiyomi, both the young man and lizardgirl had started trashing lightly, small nervous jitters provoked little knocking sounds on the wooded tables, larges beads of saliva ran down the young man face while Athena had corruption running down her noses and eyes.

‘’Daiyu! Explain!’’

A loud snapping resonating after Tsukiyomi scream as she closed her mouth loudly, baring the foxy fangs of her mouth back at her rival who stood in place, only to turn toward the angel leaning on the queen whose expression was a mixture of disbelief and anger.

‘’I don’t think he failed, but there’s a way to save young Siegfried without a doubt…’’

Daiyu felt her two set of wings flaps as Hadraniel limply made her way toward the table with Mylen beside her, she and the queen having somehow talked sense into the ever vigilant bodyguard, however… a small woman of green exosqueleton had sprung from her resting spot, sending Bletsia on the ground as the two set of scythes turned in offense in an ominous rattling of steel, coming between the trio and the table near the Demon Lord.

‘’No, no, no! Give him more time! I’ve no idea what you want to do with that sword but things aren’t over, not yet!’’

"And just what is this 'solution' you have in mind?"

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Zechariah was the next one to speak in a deathly serious tone, half grasping the pommel of his holy sword while putting himself right beside the mantis, alternating his stares between the women, with Mylen pointing at this duo with her spear, immediately breaking from the queen side. Behind them, the Demon Lord saw the runes of the golems lightning up, glowing gold in ominous menace.

A gargled cough forced everyone to stop as the poor man trashed against something, yet the hand holding the scaled, half-clawed fingers of his wife-to-be kept clinging, bringing a sharp pain inside the Demon Lord heart.

She already told the solution to the angel, the Queen-Mother and her daughter, none of them agreed to carry it out.
Until now.

‘’Listen, because I won’t repeat myself’’

--

Poor, poor young man, a side of her thought, enjoying his predicament.
Save him! Save him now! A passionate urge screamed loud enough to stiffen his gargle.
I want to see his secrets…
I want to know more about him…
I want to see if he’ll accept everything about me…
I want to accept him…
He’s still protecting me…

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Siegfried Shieffer had missed, a halfway frustrating miss recalling the irony of reality; half of the small white mask-like face of the entity had cracked in various point while the other was encased in crystal and slowly crumbing, the poor young man was… prisoners of its tendrils hands, the Nightmare had wrapped his head, arms and legs with its bony tendrils, suffocating him while forcing him to stare on relentlessly, the handsome face of her husband-to-be was… different, yet still dignified; blood ran down his eyes, nostrils, ears and mouth while the nausea would provoke unending vomiting. Incessant electrified jolt made his legs as stiff as wood, same thing for his arms yet… he still clutched and protected the ring, the one thing representing her ‘’whole’’, he still kept an entire forearm of crystal as he realized his failure and went on to protect this vulnerable part sought after by the entity. His mind was beyond any capacity for reasons, unable to think logically how could he even try to sacrifice anything to vanquish this foe?

Yet… these proceedings looked deadlocked, she couldn’t see anything beyond his bloodied face.

Ah, if only someone could come to help…
There can’t be any other party, her soul won’t be able to handle it.

But…Athena Pàla think Siegfried ought to go back home.

>[Save him]
>[Don’t, he can endure, he will endure; so will she, husband and wife to the end, something, anything…. Should happen to break this new status quo, right? The Nightmare is withering away, it’ll die, endure. Endure.]

>>31722359
Endure

>>31722359
>[Don’t, he can endure, he will endure; so will she, husband and wife to the end, something, anything…. Should happen to break this new status quo, right? The Nightmare is withering away, it’ll die, endure. Endure.]
Have faith.

>>31722359
>[Save him]
Don't risk it.

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Hmm I think it's best if I wait some more.

>>31722749
Which choice leads to more rejoicing?

>>31722359
>>[Don’t, he can endure, he will endure; so will she, husband and wife to the end, something, anything…. Should happen to break this new status quo, right? The Nightmare is withering away, it’ll die, endure. Endure.]
I figure either Athena or Sieg will suffer based on the choice. Let's have Sieg get messed up.

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>>31722794

How could I ever tell that?

>>31722794
Endure, it may cause shared suffering

>>31722359
>Save him
Sorry Athena, but you're more diposable.

>>31722359
Endure

>>31722359
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ib2JN0yb6Qg

It will all depend on Siggy's willpower in this event. He is a mage after all, and the "Will Save" is their strong point there. Will to reshape the world, will to endure pain and suffering, will to do whatever it takes to ensure the end they desire. No matter the pain, no matter the cost.

Win, win no matter what. Pain is ephemeral, bones heal, limbs are tertiary. In the soul world, it is willpower and sacrifice that matters. Victory belongs to the entity that desires it the most. And above all, Siggy wants to win here. There will be no suffering but his own, there will be no death if he can help it as well. For ye cannot make those around you happy if you die. There WILL be a happy ending. Even if he has to sacrifice all he is for it.

The nightmare will forcibly claim a precious memory now, it will be the last ounce of suffering he ever sees! His desire, his own likely disdain for humans, will be his own downfall here.

Joseph faced a similar situation. Truly superior the enemy was, but he wanted to win more than he did. That's what secured his victory.

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No break on this train

>>31723198
Holy shit, Siggy has bigger problems if he has teeth shins

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I'm getting so tired but I ahve to alteast try and finish this. Damn dice broke my plans.

>>31722359
>[Don’t, he can endure, he will endure; so will she, husband and wife to the end, something, anything…. Should happen to break this new status quo, right? The Nightmare is withering away, it’ll die, endure. Endure.]

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>>31723446
That image makes no sense, there is no despair. Where is the despair? You said there would be despair!

Healthy fox not related.

>>31723649
Wrong, healthy fox always related

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>>31723446
Sure they did suffering addict. Just remember that Siggy is the type that'd give ANYTHING for a happy ending of some type.

So we shouldn't die here, but feel free to take a memory that'll hurt for us to lose here. You're strategy finally worked. You finally get to inflict suffering upon us. You REJOICE happy bastard. We'll get to feel what it's like to be a JoJo!

>>31723696

Problem is, your foe knows about this sacrifice and is essentially making any kind of descision process a total impossibility... at least for now, regartdless I'm writing the end for tonight.

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>>31723734
Then it comes to willpower again. Who wants it more? The nightmare is motivated by hatred, but we're motivated by love. Love beats hate, as "Love" is the most powerful emotion, as it beats out "Hatred" the second strongest.

Love causes people to act "completely" out of character, whereas hatred causes people to act in a distant "logical" way.

Evil has every advantage save one, imagination. Evil can't see itself as good, whereas good can see itself as evil. Doesn't matter how much more "power" evil has if you can outwit it after all...

>>31723856
>Love
Funny way to spell greed.

>>31723876
Indeed. A man in love is quite the greedy man. To desire that only you can truly satisfy a given woman. And to hope she's the only one who can satisfy you. Greedy unto the end, the both of you.

Greed is good, if truly understood. Pity so few realize what true greed is...

>>31723963
That's not greed, that's egotism and selfishness.

>>31724022
To love someone is to see their own joy as thine own. Love is greedy in the end...

>>31724093
If that's your definition of greed, then I suppose it's pointless to continue this conversation.

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Sorry for taking so much time, I want to make this right despite being dead tired.

>>31724428
No worries dude.

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>>31724428
Here's a morale booster.

>>31724428
Did we make a mistake? Is that why it's taking so long?

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>>31724494
>Did we make a mistake?

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She heard a distinctive snapping, a most painful sounding crunch emerged from Siegfried human hand as the crystallised one held it tight and strong enough to fractures some of his fingers, perhaps even knuckles. Tendrils swirled around his body, poking the blue mineral and skin as one of them -entered- the back of his head, shifting through hair, skin and bones provoking a long wail that would have the girl put her hands on her ears if she could.

Yet…

‘’I won’t let go of my wife I won’t let go of my wife! I won’t! I won’t!’’

He spoke these words like a litany despite the blood and vomit escaping his mouth; all the carmine fluids escaping him was enough to kill a man several times over, poor, poor Siegfried was dying and recuperating in a world beyond imagining, perhaps the entity was stimulating his every nerves, mayhap it was manipulating his very mind itself, yet he kept on clinging to this stubborn hope, crystal arm keeping the ring of her soul secured from the hunter.
Why are you afraid of helping him!?

Endure, yes… it’s too risky, Siegfried can do everything on his own, a man worthy to be second wife to.

He’s so strong, unlike you; can’t even carry out the very first promise of your childhood, look at him dying and keep on like this, this man is too good for you.

Let see if he can withstand this trial to marry you, Athena.
You’ve been jealous of him, haven’t you?
He hasn’t let go of his ideals, unlike you.
Help him, Athena!
Stay safe, Athena!
Show some spirit like your mother, Athena!

Incessant inner voices whispered to the once amazon knight, doubts riddled the poor soul but… she has to wait she has to…. Do everything she can to believe him, right? He can save her, right?

‘’Raaaaaagh!!!’’

His scream was a gargled pain that stabbed at her very self, she’d probably feel nauseated if she could.

‘’I…have…’’

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The small ring protected so fervently let out a small voice, interrupted by a sudden howl in the remnants of the bridge, a wolfish scream carrying a dreadful imminent future hammered a reality she forgot, along with the hunter.

Siegfried Shieffer is not alone in his soul.

‘’Someone…anyone…help him.’’

--

‘’No! No! No! Stop!’’

Sylphis was tired, her entire day had been a hellish slug; she agonized all morning about her father only to learn his demise by some impersonal lieutenant and got subsequently (rightfully) beaten by a man able to keep his emotions in check and now… a single breath too slow along with an ambush behind had forced her to the ground as Emeth kept her in a solid arm lock, with Mylen taking care of her second arm. She had been much too predictable after learning what ‘’saving’’ Siegfried entailed.

Zechariah was grimacing in obvious displeasure with his Holy sword halfway out of its scabbard, the duo resting on the table were still caught in near incessant spasm, Siegfried had started a slow bleeding of his nose while Athena, thankfully, hadn’t shown any resurgence of corruption.

‘’Will this kill her?’’

He asked, eyes narrowed and looking at Daiyu whose own stature and presence was nothing to laugh at.

‘’Most likely, there is no certainty in the world of soul.
‘’Is there any other way?’’
‘’None that I know.’’

His lisps formed straight narrow line as he faced the angel and Demon Lord, both women were now side by side, Ame had, apparently, lost the strength to face him and her mother who, by now, was fervently cleaning up the young man with trembling hands.

‘’It’s not worth it, not yet.’’
‘’Unfortunately, Zechariah, we don’t have any more time’’
‘’So that’s the way it has to be, then? Kill one to save the other?’’
‘’Yes’’

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Hadraniel was the one to speak, her shuffling stance didn’t betray the inherent grace of the Embodiment and the sword was still solidly held in her hand despite facing down; however Daiyu quickly put her hand on the maiden shoulder and trailed her second one toward her wrist, letting go of her first contact to bend slightly.

‘’Let me do it, let them hate the Demon Lord.’’

No hesitation, no pity, no emotions seemed to betray the two maiden, but the angel let go of the holy sword and finally, Daiyu hand firmly grasped the pommel and held it up straight, the pearl-colored sword flickered, as if acknowledging what was happening.

‘’That’s the way it has to be, Zechariah. The little slime with Bletsia probably won’t like to see what is about to happen’’

A little blue blob of go was being squeezed relentlessly by the trembling Oomukade, yet she never protested, nor raise her voice.

"Damn it... I can't just sit here and accept that kind of answer... Surely there's something you haven't considered. What if I try to use Redemption one more time? What if..."

His protest were ultimately weak and Daiyu Jawahir, Demon Lord and liege lord of monsters walked pass him as the mantis protested, paying no mind to the purifier taking the other side of the table as Tsukiyomi snarled, yet made no move to stop her.

Laminas Angelorum plunged inside Athena belly without hesitation, creating a sickening wet slicing sound, blood erupting from the wound.

>A Tale of Monster -115- End

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>>31724578
>>31724617
>>31724658

>>31724658
I...I don't have a reaction face for this

>>31724658
So, we were supposed to choose the 'save him' option?

The Nightmare was making it impossible for Siegfried to sacrifice another memory for more power?

>>31724658
how can a sword "face down"? they have 2 sides/faces. you mean "pointing down".

>>31724658
>belly
Come the fuck on, that's no way to properly stab someone.

>>31724658
See? She was killed eventually. Should have just done it earlier and saved time.

>>31724658
>[rejoicing intensifies]

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>>31724658
Love you for running as always INH.

Even if you make me have to deal with all these feels.

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>>31724658
FUCK!!! Athena just died didn't she, along with Zech. Damnit, damnitdamnmitdamnit!

Damn it all. Lost some very potent cards to play in future events. We played right into your hands didn't we.

>>31724841
Only hope for salvage is the fact that such a wound is a very slow way to die. Thus, there is a possibility to save her. Not like Barron von Suffering is gonna allow that...

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We still have the next update soon, fellows.

>>31724790

>The Nightmare was making it impossible for Siegfried to sacrifice another memory for more power?

Yes, it was pretty much overloading his descision making ability with pain, Siggy was literally unable to make any kind of logical choice.

>>31724841

I know, so does she. It not a way to kill someone fast

>>31724837

I should have written pointing down, yeah. My entire text is crippled with errors, I can only hope you guys can tolerate a 2 am drivel trying to be emotional.

>>31724935
>FUCK!!! Athena just died didn't she, along with Zech

Huh? He didn't come anywhere close to dying.

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>>31724658
Whelp, this was coming for like a year now.

>>31724992
But Athena died.

Maybe I have read this wrong or maybe I'm just pissed that I choose the other vote. But I don't know I'm very angry

>>31724938
Was every decision we made after the first one wrong, or just the last 3?

>>31725040
You picked the wrong choice way back by trying to fight when you shouldn't have.

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>>31725047

Before I answer this, let me ask you another question.

Based on the last update, what do you think is the very first thing that give you such an overwhelming victory? Created the very window to actually beat the Beast?

>>31725062
I didn't I wanted to retreat.

...I...I don't think I want to play this anymore

>>31725088
Our greed?

I'm never good at these decision making and considering I may have had a hand in killing Athena, I don't know what do to do anymore

>>31725091
Oh you're right, someone did vote to not fight. Well, now you know how I felt back in the day with Avina.

>>31725147
This was not a good thread today.

I've been having bad threads all day....

>>31725088
Are you happy about thie Insert?

You have your kotomine moment

>>31725088
It wasn't any interference from outside; Daiyu probably would have just made things worse.

It was Athena, and letting the Beast get so distracted in killing us that it left itself exposed.

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>>31725040
Again, you must realize that a "gut" wound is a pretty slow way to go. Much like slashing the wrist in some way.

If you get help fast you'll live, but if not you're done. If we end this fast she may yet live, but only if we end it fast.

Thus again I ask the question. What memory must we sacrifice to salvage this? I just know it's one we'll wish we'd have kept. But offering it up will salvage this.

At said price. Everyone has a price, even reality does. The real question is, was it worth the cost? Only time will tell.

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>>31725135

It's much simpler than that.

You broke the fabricated continuity by taking -ACTIONS- Now think back on this update, the very start until you had to turn around.

I have, however, one thing to say. The huge, huge victory you gained on part 114 is still felt here, look forward to Sunday for the conclusion.

I treat my players with care and fairness wrapped in sweet optimism hidden as cruelty.

>>31724938
What's with you and stabbing waifus in the gut anyway?

>>31725165
I know that feel, anon. Ah well. Just means people will have to settle for only a good ending at best since someone else died.

>>31725088
Let me ask you another question: was the Beast really so wounded that it would not stop the Nightmare from taking over/killing Siegfried? To do so would be to lose his one and only host body.

>>31725185
Yes, let the butthurt flow through you.

>>31725231
>Let me ask you another question: was the Beast really so wounded that it would not stop the Nightmare from taking over/killing Siegfried? To do so would be to lose his one and only host body.

It showed up right at the end, unfortunately, the people outside didn't have any clue about it and had a contingency plan.

>>31725203
Well I'm not making the decision since I'm pissed andafraid to fucked up.

>>31725252
So, Daiyu once again making the wrong call. Screwing things up again for the worse.

You know, at least with Tsu's atrocities, they were done to volunteers. They didn't know the full extent of the side-effects, but they still volunteered.
Daiyu just keeps on making situations worse.

>>31725210
So, first mistake was to follow our gut, and delay.
Second mistake was to continue on the path instead of forcing a change.
Third mistake was to turn around face the voice.
And fourth mistake was to fight it instead of running.

That about sum it up? We made a mistake at every single choice.

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>>31725314

Absolutely untrue.

First, the information about the Beast was kept by Siegfried, you guys never insisted to speak about it to anyone save Mother Earth, so she didn't have anyway to judge the entity.

Second, Neither Tsukiyomi nor Ame actually protested, they accepted this reality.

Third, Hadraniel was about to stab Athena.

Fourth, she did it to prevent the angel from harming a close friend.

>>31725264

I hate to leave you guys on a cliffhanger, this update will properly finish Sunday so everything isn't quite over yet.

>>31725363

Pretty much. I don't know if it was entirely fair, but dammit, I'm trying.

>>31725210
More like coddle them instead of making them take the fall for their screwups.
Not that most mind.

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>>31725231
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mD9Vho0SVCU

A good question indeed anon. No way the fucker would just let us "die" on his clock. After beating him away, his only choice for survival would be to preserve our own ass somehow.

The thing is in the same straits as "Gig". If we go down before a certain point (and we most certainly are before said point, else he would have owned us easily last thread), he goes down with us.

He doesn't want that, plus he wanted to munch on Nightmare last time they met as well. We denied him a feast, bet he's more than willing to help in exchange for the finest dinner he's ever had.

Not liking the prospect of trusting the bastard, but if we've entered a situation like Pic Related it's not a bad thing. Out of control entity, meet "God" of death that isn't liking your bullshit shenanigains.

Only one parasite to a host, if the parasite is sentient after all. Ain't no room for two fuckers in Siggy's soul. And ol' Beasty sure as hell ain't getting booted out by some half-assed non-divine shitstain like the Nightmare!

Thank god I say, maybe this little infection will finally work out in our favor!

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>>31725432

We'll see about that, we aren't done yet, I have to see if I can push you guys far enough.

>>31725432
I don't mind if Athena dies though so I accept what's happening.

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>>31725425
>>31725363
Wow, so we couldn't have done worse if we actively tried? That's kind of impressive in it's own way.

>>31725425
>I don't know if it was entirely fair
The first one was kind of not, since the fail option had "keep to your guts feeling", which has wording which is leading. By saying that the Siegfried had a gut feeling to take this action, there was an implication that it felt correct.

The second and third options didn't have this.
The fourth, we were forced into either trying to attack immediately after we were told that time was running out, or go towards our soul which had no clear advantage or reason.
I don't think you ever said anything about there being a home field advantage in the soul world.

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>>31725503

>>31725503
So you're going to intentionally make us fuck up? In order to see Athena die?

>>31725562
Nope. Not at all. I'm just not overly upset. I would never sabotage things to kill her.

>>31725504
If players choose the failure option 5 times in a row (5th being to endure rather than have Athena intervene), maybe there's something wrong with the wording of the choices and the information provided.

Either that, or the players are really that dense.

>>31725593
With your stated wish to have Athena die, and that we should have killed her ourselves, and the decisions taken in this thread, I don't trust you.

>>31725538
>By saying that the Siegfried had a gut feeling to take this action, there was an implication that it felt correct.
Hardly. Nothing but personal bias might suggest that a decision made on a random hunch is right.

>>31725538
>I don't think you ever said anything about there being a home field advantage in the soul world.

There wasn't any advantage in the world you were currently in, perhaps yo ucan still do seomthing with that burning fire...

The wording of the first option was a red herring, both were a sort of ''guts'' feeling.

>>31725600

If there was something wrong with what I presented, and how I worded it, so be it. I'm not going to let this devolve in a Bletsia shitstorm 2.0 and I'll proceed with the results. Losses are going to happen, we'll see what happen Sunday.

The theme of this arc is sacrifice after all

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>>31725492
>>31725462 here, just saying that, at this point, I'm willing to sacrifice a memory most precious to justify that theme music. The bitch dies, now. Every man/woman has their price. Even reality does, in a world where magic is a thing that is.

Although, if we are able to feel the effects of our so called "massive" victory it may be Athena who pays the price for Siggy going SSJ3 and absolutely destroying this fucker once and for all in an absolute curbstomp.

Sucks in the long run yes, but it does enable an end where everyone lives and Siggy maintains his ammo supply. At the cost of Athena's "SAN Score" of course.

Good thing that meter has tiers and the lower levels ain't so detremental.

>>31725684
>Every man/woman has their price. Even reality does
Doesn't mean you can actually pay it.

>>31725425
>Absolutely untrue.
Daiyu's still the one who suggested the contingency (that's the way that you presented it), and who said that it needed to be done now.
Still her call to enact the contingency, still her fault.

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>>31725684

Good, good. Look forward to Sunday (or tomorrow).

This event isn't done no dices to be seen next update

>>31725782

Acting upon very limited information in a situation filled with uncertain what ifs is the kind of things leaders are supposed to do. Again, Hadraniel was going to stab Athena herself, the Embodiment WOULD have done it but Daiyu spared her that agony.

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>>31725787
>no dices to be seen next update
But that's the best part! Seeing carefully laid plans crumble at a moment's notice.

>>31725619
Don't if you want but I honestly wouldn't sabotage things to get my way or same fag to get my way. If I did, this quest would be quite different. Either way, I don't care if you don't trust me. Tonight is the fault of most people in the thread. Accept it or not, it doesn't bother me.

>>31725815
>Acting upon very limited information in a situation filled with uncertain what ifs is the kind of things leaders are supposed to do
I'm not debating that; she makes decisive decisions as a leader should. What I am saying is that she has a track record of making the wrong decisions when she does so.
And would Hadraniel have stabbed Athena if she had not been told about the contingency, or that it was time to enact it?

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>>31725870
>And would Hadraniel have stabbed Athena if she had not been told about the contingency, or that it was time to enact it?

Do you really think she could have done that wtihout knowing about this information? Of course not, knowledge is power and open several paths, sometime you take the wrong one.

In this case, Zechariah and Sylphis were right while Daiyu, Tsu, Ame and Hadraniel were wrong... somewhat. you'll see next thread.
Again I state this FERVENTLY.

It's not over.

>>31725943
Based on tonights track record of wrong decisions, I'll use my judgement to say it's over and just still in progress. No reason it won't continue this way Sunday.

>>31725943
>Do you really think she could have done that wtihout knowing about this information?
That's exactly my point. Daiyu makes decisions as a leader should; decisively, acting on what information she has at the time to make the best decision she can.

What I'm saying is that she is frequently wrong with her decisions, while Tsu is more right than wrong.
Tsu was wrong this time, but other times she is right.
Daiyu was wrong this time, and has been more wrong than right in the past. Perhaps by a very slim margin, but from what we've seen, still more wrong than right.

>>31725762
Pieces of a soul seem like a pretty damn good currency IMO...

>>31725991
It's a finite resource. It does regenerate, but at a rate that's probably too slow to be useful to us, since we will need to make withdrawals on at least three more occasions, and at least two of those opponents can use the same trick.

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>>31725987

They were wrong here but this is because of something you guys never did all quest.

Everything related to the Beast had been kept underwrap, of course you were insanely busy but you still never took the time to talk about the Beast to -anyone- else beside Mother Earth who simply gave you a rundown of what it was.

We never had a proper update to discuss about it in details.

Nobody, absolutely nobody, know that it is a sentient being able to act on its own and would do everything it can to protect its host until ready to take it over.

I don't think I'm wrong in saying that you had alot of opportunity to talk about it, but were (rightfully) distracted by other things.

>>31726015
But there is one thing holding them back, they know what the toll is too.

Orion, Deruella, and the Beast know they must sacrifice something of dire importance to pull their bullshit. As do we, and that may cause them to hesitate. Who pays such a steep toll if it is avoidable?

Again I say, victory goes to the one who most desires it. If we sacrifice at a moment they don't, they get raped. Too bad we ain't Joseph Joestar and can predict their next line. Would really help if we could.

>>31726088
If they had this vital piece of information, of course they would have chosen differently.
But that's beside the point.
In a situation with limited information, Daiyu chose wrong. She could have chosen right, but she didn't. I'm not begrudging her making a snap decision; I'm just saying that her snap decisions tend to be wrong.

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>>31726173

And it was a snap descision shared by almost everyone close to Athena

>>31726210
Alright, let me illustrate it like this:
>Right Snap Decisions/Wrong Snap Decisions
>including this most recent one
Tsu: 3/2
Ame: 3/1
Hadraniel: 2/1
Daiyu: 2/4

The numbers are only an example to illustrate the point that I am making here. Which is that concerning track records, Daiyu's is the worst.
Yes, they all made a mistake here. But Daiyu has made the most mistakes thus far.
That is the point I am making.

>>31726088
That settles it. When/If we wake up, everyone gets a full infodump on the fucker. After Daiyu scans them of course. Can't have Deruela learning anything if at all possible. Need route that traitor out ASAP, we've had just about enough of that bullshit after almost losing Emeth.

I still fear her plans. She might have designs on the bomb too. Only instead of wishing to blow a hole in the swamp, she may wish to simply reverse its polarity and blast the "Vatican" with an ungodly amount of corruption. Nukes are nukes after all, they make strategy and tactics pointless...

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>>31726274

Tsu would have been wrong alot more without the knowledge of the time loop.

let's agree to enjoy some fluffy tails and hopefully, scaly ones too.

>>31726348
>Tsu would have been wrong alot more without the knowledge of the time loop.
That's still a separate point, and does not detract from Daiyu being more wrong than right.

If I'm wrong, then just straight up say that Daiyu's snap decisions are usually right. You've got more knowledge about her choices than I do, especially the ones that we haven't seen, so you should be able to definitively say one way or the other.

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>>31726387

I'll just say I have been willing to avoid portraying Daiyu at her best, just like Kyorn. Both will be the latest bloomers of the quest.

>>31726413
Then until that happens, I'll continue with the view that Daiyu is usually wrong, and will generally make situations worse with her decisions.

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>>31725363
Damn. We dumb.

>>31726546
It's actually 5 mistakes. The 5th was to have Athena endure instead of saving Siegfried.

>>31726595

Now add a natural 20 on your enemy...

>>31726629
Siggy needs a vacation. Maybe next loop he can spend goofing off doing silly stuff he kept wanting to do.
http://youtu.be/cMBNJ1A_CjI

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>>31726731

That'd be a nice vacation. What if every villain turn out reasonable too?

>>31726829
Has tsu or any of the others with the Burden of Knowledge done something like that?

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>>31726870

Nope, not yet

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I really didn't like this whole sequence.
It basically felt like we were just flailing around in the dark, bumping into shit, hoping that we're going to the right way and that we don't get everybody killed in the process.

Well, we finally found that fucking lightswitch...
Surprise! Instead of the lights turning on, you accidently activated the electric chair that your fiancee was strapped to, which now illuminates the room with each shock causing her to ceaselessly spasm, burning the image into your mind as you watch on in horror.

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>>31727076

I don't think its possible to be fair in any given situation. i ahve to withold informations else the right choice is obvious, no ''choices'' must look like the right one when I go with imposed greentext, which obviously aren't going to happen often.

> Wake up
> Read last posts
oh my. If only people had listened when I said to chop chop

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>>31726731
>throwing him into Extra

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Shit is fucked.

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>>31731265
Well she did stab her in the stomach, so there's still an infinitesimally, microscopic chance we could get out of this with everyone alive. Maybe, possibly.

Awww who am I kidding, she's dead and we're next. The suffering train has no brakes.

>>31730452
i tried to warn them

>>31731455
Oh please, anon. Looking at INH's posts it's obvious he's wracking his brain on how to bail us out of this situation without too much lasting suffering. Athena will undoubtedly be worse for wear, but unless the spectacular chain bad decisions continue she'll live.

On a related note. What's the warranty policy on waifus?

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>>31733752
I'm pretty sure we voided our warranty on Athena when we let her keep her corrupted arm.

>>31734421
Well I didn't vote to keep it.

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>Oh please, anon. Looking at INH's posts it's obvious he's wracking his brain on how to bail us out of this situation

Am I? Siggy allies are competent and I'm keeping that in mind, even if the situation is very bleak indeed...

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>>31735613
Another run tonight or will it be tomorrow?

>>31733752
Warranty void when you let retards keep a hella corrupted demon arm.

I told you we should have just put her out of her misery earlier. We should have just killed her and kept ourself safe.

And look where it's gotten us. One waifu dead, a bunch of lost soul-power memories, a crystallised hand, and now we're about to be dead as well.

>>31735977

Tomorrow, I'm taking tonight to plan out some stuff.

>>31736062

That line of thinking isn't the kind Siegfried believe in I'm afraid.

>>31735613
Come on, despite all the metaphorical (and possibly literal) evil cackling and hand rubbing you do, the consequences are mostly limited to temporary injury, mental scarring and guilt galore.

>>31736062
Please anon, calm you waifu-murder boner.

>>31736622
I'm perfectly calm.

I'm just happy that it's all blown up in exactly the way I said it would.

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>>31736622

Because there hasn't been any situation bad enoug ht owarrent an outright murder... yet. Again, the theme of this little arc is sacrifice.

I'm also a hopeless optimist at heart, remember that motto of this quest? Earn your happy ending

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>>31736739
I've been enjoying this arc, at least.

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>>31737034

I aim to please.

What a nice smile

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>>31737175
She always has the best smile.
>charmer ahead

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>>31737322

All fluff are inherent charmer.
I wish I could put more characters but we have mooooore than enough

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>>31737355
There's always the sequel.

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>>31737355
>more characters

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>>31737430

Indeed, I've about 4 characters thought up and ready to go.

ToM is reaching its end.

>>31737447

The idea of a lazy lilim is that appealing?

>>31737447
reminds me of risty from qb

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>>31737504
Only because it's one of my favourites.
Might not be other people's thing though.

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>>31737700

I'm frankly torn on how to proceed through the first thread of the sequel since I want to make a rather big prologue and I've got two cahracter that could play the same role... One of them being this lilim.

Oh well, this is one of the dilemma of QMing.

>>31737504
>ToM is reaching its end.
Bullshit it's not even 2016 yet.

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>>31737447
>not posting objectively superior maou

>>31737752
Don't want to be an asshole, but taking some time off between this and the sequel to work on your writing and grammar might be a good choice.