ᴇᴍʙᴇʀꜱ ᴏꜰ ᴀ ᴅʏɪɴɢ ꜱᴋʏ | ᴛᴇɴᴢᴀɪ & ᴄᴀʀᴘᴇ ᴅɪᴇᴍ

[Tenzai]

ɴᴏᴡ ᴘʟᴀʏɪɴɢ: ʜᴏʟʟᴏᴡ ʜᴜᴍᴀɴ | ᴋᴀɴᴘᴇᴋɪ ↻ ◁ || ▷ ↺​ As if the princess herself could tell that this crime against her companion's warrior spirit was enough to make it a shadow of its former self, Neon's eyes grew wide in surprise, finding Ophelia defending her in front of the woman that stripped her of her confidence in her abilities. "Silence. Neon is stronger than any warrior in my kingdom ever was. I will not allow you to sully her name when she gave me an unforgettable fight." Not only did she offer a special place by her side; the fencer was willing to defend her name. She was far better than any random recruit their team could've found as a replacement for their leader. Ophelia was quickly becoming someone priceless in the eyes of the vampire. Ophelia's warmth had lingered on her lips longer than it had any right to. Perhaps this was not the sensations that came from pure thermodynamics alone but rather a growing sensitivity to her physical proximity and a quiet, growing yearning for her presence. Given the fact that the warrior princess had not only beaten her fairly in combat and that she was attractive enough already, now that she was defending her as well on top of everything else, she couldn't help but develop a genuine crush. She saw Neon at one of her worst states and instead of acting like an ordinary noble, she was willing to fight for her, even when she was outnumbered and even when her body was outnumbered and outpowered by Idra's numerous bodyguards. Though, where one woman's fascination had been born, another's ire was won. Idra hated the thought of this backwater princess without a kingdom speaking to her as if she was her equal. Her clothes had seemed bought from an alley boutique. Her weapon's material was bland, its only redeeming quality being that it was a single grade above common and that its craftsmanship was above average. Behind her fans, her smug grin had shifted to a tense frown as a vein on her head had cracked through her artificial beauty, revealing some of the ugliness within. "Then it seems like your kingdom and name had no one noteworthy to begin with." Immediately, Idra fired back a retort "Then again, its to be expected of a kingdom that only spanned a single planet." "Is this how you usually get by. Bullying, intimidation? Do you think that your words hold any weight for me? You are nothing to me. You've been nothing from the moment I first set eyes upon you. Even the discarded trash could be more useful. To make handmade decorations, for example." An icy fugue had grown in between the two princesses. Once neutral, the team that gave Ophelia a new home had become what ultimately split the two apart. Forced into two opposite sides over Idra's past and over Ophelia's future, the guards and Neon had failed to notice the dark tendrils crawling into the room due to the tension between the two until it was too late. "How fitting of trash to see trash as worthy of decoration. Shame to think that August and Medina are among heathens. Even Shiro deserves better than-" Her voice was hushed as the dark tendril wrapped around her throat. Neon on the other hand had seemed unscathed, being instead, pried free from the grasp of those who's stealth cybernetics had made it hard for even her with her vampiric senses and her own cybernetics to detect. With their bodies held, the light that once refracted around them began to reflect where the tendrils had touched them, revealing her many allies that accompanied her over the sake of pursuing her wealth. Though the vampiress' mind wasn't focused on them. What caught her attention instead was the difference in Ophelia's voice; The taint of her eldritch influence had made the sound the vampire's ears had grown accustomed to near unrecognizable. "Enough. Get your craven hands off my friend. Before I snap your neck in half... I will teach you a sliver of the hell I've experienced. For laying your hands on my Neon, that is a fair price. Your filthy soldiers... pull them back before I leave you without an entourage." Dark threats and ghastly commands had caused Idra to relent. This was not the right place for a princess to fight. With the tendrils giving her space to respond, she delivered her order. "Back off from the snake." Those who had yet to be caught had stepped back, refusing to make contact with the entity that watched over Ophelia. "FURTHER! NOW!" Her voice has spoken with authority, causing those that worked for her to place distance in between them and the two girls. Finally finding the tendrils slowly seeping back into the shadows of the room, once Ophelia returned back to normal, the eyes that looked down at her had vanished, only to be replaced by those that saw her as a genuine threat. She was as Sen said she was, a powerful artifact of a different time, one that was to be respected as such, rather than diminished as a result of her place in history. "And as your senior, I will teach you a lesson in humility. It is clear nobody else has bothered. Let's have our own wager, shall we? Return Neon's sword if I win. It's only right. If you win, I will join you instead. Surely my power will be a boon to your squad. And I'm sure you would relish in the opportunity of having me under your boot. I am not untamed; I know to obey orders. I will swear fealty to you." "... So this was all a ploy for you to get your weapon back?" Idra looked at the two, crossing her arms while whispering to herself a golden wall to form a ward against her darkness. "Fine. If you manage to beat me, I'll let you have her sword back. I was planning on selling it off if I managed to beat her again with it before it lost even more of its value, but I suppose, it would suit me well to place it on a wager." The princess backed up into a spotlight, preferring to stay in the company of the light where no shadows could touch her. "But as for what I get if I win, I have something else better in mind than having something like you with me." Placing both fans in one hand and pointing at Ophelia, the princess had made her terms known. "If I win. I want you to break her sword in front of her. Right in the arena in front of everyone else. August, Medina, and Shiro included." If Ophelia was to become their strength, Idra was going to wield their new friend against them. "I'll see you soon. Don't embarrass yourself too much when I go all out." Appearing unphased from the sudden surprise of her magic, the princess had left the two girls to themselves, letting the sounds of Neon's embarrassing moment play in the speakers as she left. By the time their confrontation was over, Ophelia had found Neon on the ground, brushing the bruise on her neck with her fingers. "Are you okay? You're not hurt, are you?" Neon shook her head. "Not bad. My throat's sore. Fuckers' got a strong hand on them, but I'm alive." Her blush was still apparent on her face. "You didn't have to defend me like that you know... I... I never wanted to get you into a fight with her in the first place." She coughed for a moment, trying to straighten out the coarseness in her vocal tones. "But... Thank you. For what you said in the arena and... For what you did for me in front of Idra. I mean it, Ophelia. I... really appreciate that." Her bloodied fingers tracing across her lips had led to a gentle kiss over the top of her hand. Even if she could never be her knight, that didn't stop her from trying, especially if it gave the vampire an excuse to taste her blood the same. "I'll let you drink as much of my blood once this is done, so hang in there, won't you? It'll only be a moment. And Neon? Please find Gust, Shiro and Medina and leave. I've fought gracefully so far. I have given you all a fight that is worthy and dignified. But this next match... I'm afraid you won't be able to see me the same way you have once you see me the way that I am when I let anger overtake me." Neon raised an eyebrow, shaking her head. "Please go. I must prepare for my fight. I promise I won't kill her. But... I can't promise anything more than that." "Lia. I'm never going to hate you. Say what you think, but what you did. What you said here. The glimpse I got of you..." Taking her bloodied hands in her own, Neon held her without fear in her eyes. The ancestors of the vampires of the modern day were known to have bloody gods and terrible rituals. Her father was no different. To Neon, the only thing that made them different from monsters were the reasons why they would commit to such magic in the first place, not the capabilities that came with the corrupted arcane. "No matter how bad things get, I'll be right by your side. I can't say the same about the others, but I know myself enough to not care. You'll never be a monster to me. I know you won't." "Monsters would never defend the people they love... So kick her ass for me." ──────・୨ ✦✦✦✦✦ ୧・──────​ In the stands sat Neon by herself. Keeping true to her promise, she had asked for the others to not come. While it was hard for them not to want to watch their party member come in person, she had convinced them with her eagerness. It wasn't often that Neon had genuinely asked the others for a favor rather than taking something herself. The fact that she was willing to ask meant that this meant a lot to her, and that alone had made it enough for most but Shiro. To the divine catwoman, there was something that her curiosity could not deny. Whatever was to happen here in the arena, her foresight couldn't read. There was a black fog that prevented her from already knowing the outcome of the fight, and for her, that was more than enough to make it interesting. While Ophelia had waited on the battlefield, instead of having to wait for an announcement for applause, it seemed that she was already a well known face for those who engaged with the crowd fare of the combat sport. She had risen the ranks, making a spectacle of herself in doing so by ensuring that none of her matches had ever become boring. Each was a thrilling clash of blade and spell from beginning to end. Where others were able to predict the abilities of those who were familiar faces, to the crowds, everything about Ophelia was a mystery, drawing their attention to the up and coming rookie that was soon to take on last year's champion. With a familiar cat announcer descending from his floating platform, he brought the mic to his lips. "ARE YOU READY FOR THE FINALE?!" His voice came from various speakers and drones that floated across the arena, giving his charisma amplitude that could not be denied. A welcome roar and the sounds of celebratory cannons were fired in the air. The dragon tribe she had bested the champion of, the vampires that had made a up Neon's primary company, and even the two members of the team themselves had joined in the celebration, cheering on the princess below despite the audible intensity of the crowd's sound being enough to rock the very station itself with their vigor. "PRINCESS VERSUS PRINCESS. TWO DAUGHTERS OF THEIR KINGDOM BEING BROUGHT TO FIGHT. YOU KNOW THEM. THERE'S NO NEED TO ANNOUNCE. CAN I GET A ROAR OF APPLAUSE FOR OUR CONTESTANTS?! OPHELIA! IDRA!" Finally leaving her side of the arena, Ophelia had found her golden counterpart donning armor that was worth planets. Blessed with a gift of divinity, the blonde angel had her fans in hand, only for them to turn into a shield and spear upon a swing. Divine energy had consecrated the ground underneath her feet. This angel had truly acted like the epitome of combat, mimicking the strength of the first hero of the stars. "I'm surprised you came. I thought you'd be smart enough to forfeit." The visor of her helmet flashed with her light as she uttered her syllables. "I wonder if that confidence is born of foolishness or ignorance... Unless, you preferred to ruin Neon's sword, that is." On one sheath in her armor rested Neon's sword itself. Still in the pristine condition that she had left the weapon in upon losing, it seemed to hold the power of her ancestors. "How poetic would it be if it was Neon's blade that did you in, hmm? Don't worry, Ophelia. I won't do you the disrespect of underestimating you again." Raising her shield in one hand and her spear in the other, a glowing bubble had formed around her. "Come. Test your mettle against the epitome of holy construction. Show me the limits of your resolve."​

 

[Carpe Diem]

◤━*:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ✧━━━━━━━━━━━━━━┓

┗━━━━━━━━━━━━━━✧༺♥༻∞━◢
✬ Ophelia ✬
❝ You paint a picture in my mind, you wanna leave it all behind
In a world that's turning all the time, nothing could stop me longing for your eyes ❞
​

"Monsters would never defend the people they love... So kick her ass for me." 'Nobody said anything about love, you idiot...' The cheers of the crowd nearly fell on deaf ears as Ophelia's mind rewound back to the conversation in the lockers, when it was just Neon and her. To think that she was yearning for more, that she regretted leaving the samurai behind to face this battle. In an ideal world, she would've had more time to speak more honestly to the pink-haired vampire, especially after the short but intense fallout they'd had. There just wasn't enough time for them to talk before Idra had come to ruin their moment together, and it only made the princess resent Idra even more for it. While the cute cat announcer did his thing by, well, announcing their names, Ophelia's face contorted with discomfort, looking down at her left hand. She opened and closed it, or at least tried to, but her hand just wouldn't work the way she wanted it to. 'It still hasn't recovered from the fight. I can barely feel it, let alone hold my rapier with it...' To think that her battle with Neon would put her at such a disadvantage. Try as she might, she simply could not feel the bloodflow in her left hand, forcing her to use her right hand to wield the rapier. Yet another reason to resent Idra for pitting them against each other. Even if she didn't know this would be the result, the princess' intentions had been obvious; to weaken either of the two opponents to soften them up when it came time for her to fight them. Even so, Ophelia did not let it show in her face besides a short moment of hesitation as she unsheathed her rapier, holding it in the opposite hand than the one she'd been using so far. "I'm surprised you came. I thought you'd be smart enough to forfeit." "Careful now, Idra. Any more talk like that and I'll start thinking you're afraid of fighting me. Didn't you say the same thing back in the lockers? 'Do yourself a favor and give up now'? Could it be that you're scared? Is it that you are afraid of losing to this thing that came out of an accursed tower? Is your pride so fragile you would use any trick, any cheat to avoid confrontation? Or is it that you're scared now that your little toy soldiers are nowhere to be seen? It's just you and me..." "And that thing that had you cowering behind a little magic wall. Don't worry, I'll only use a fraction of its power to clip your wings." "I don't need any more than that." She watched from behind red eyes as the woman used divine magic to create weapons out of those gaudy fans of hers, her eyes narrowing now that she knew they had a purpose beyond making her look even more insufferable. Still, after all of that, Ophelia couldn't help but let out a small, quiet scoff behind her numb hand. "You look ridiculous under all that armor. Are you that scared of getting hurt?" Contrasting her immaculate appearance, Ophelia had taken the time between matches to patch up the cuts that Neon had inflicted over her body. Umbra's dress had held up well enough, but there were exposed parts around her waist and upper chest area that Ophelia had to wrap up, as well as her arms. She'd particularly tightened up her fingers to make them more responsive, but that hadn't worked. In contrast to Idra, Ophelia looked like she'd taken quite a beating and one might even think she was on her last leg after the last fight. But the eldritch magic that pumped throughout her body not only dulled the pain, but stitched up the wounds with ease and quickness. It was actually unsightly, which was why she'd opted to wrap them up so people wouldn't see the way her cuts healed themselves in real time. It was not the kind of sight that the average viewer could see and not feel sickened by. "Come. Test your mettle against the epitome of holy construction. Show me the limits of your resolve." "I have a question for you, Idra." Rapier at the ready, she held it up while bringing her other arm, still numb and lowered to about the height of her waist, Ophelia's eyes stared straight through the princess, as if she was nothing more than a simple obstacle for her to overcome. There was no respect in her gaze, unlike the grace and honor she'd granted to Leandro and Neon; she held no such respect for someone as disgraceful as Idra, who would sooner use dirty tricks outside of battle than face her opponents head on. "Do you wield your weapons. Or do they wield you? It is like a child wearing a tunic three sizes too big for them. Such equipment is wasted on a coward like you." "I'll release it from the disgrace of being worn by you." With a single stride forward, her body became a blur. While she'd waited for her other opponents to make their move, to observe their battle style before making a move of her own, she saw no need to exercise caution against Idra, jumping headfirst with a speed that made it clear she had been holding back even after all this time. Perhaps her other opponents would see it as a showcase of disrespect, to use anything but her entire arsenal against them, but she had never intended to use this amount of power when she signed up for the tournament. She didn't want to use It. "So much for your pride. Did she anger you that much? You barely know this girl, yet you would suffer the price of my power for her." 'I'll pay any price, just--" "Consider this one a freebie. I look forward to seeing her face twist with horror." Internally, Ophelia sighed a breath of relief as she was spared of the heavy price of using her patron's magic. Her rapier channeled eldritch magic through its blade, striking true against the divine shield, the dark energy spreading into the blessed armament to break it down. Darkness and light battled, the divinity imbued within the shield fighting back against the unknowable as best as it could. The princess jumped back instantly, not letting her guard down for but a second as she followed up with a blast of eldritch energy flying out from the tips of her fingers, one bolt for each striking against the chestplate in a bid to keep a distance between them. "Tell me, Idra," Landing back on her feet a fair distance away, Ophelia took a moment to recover her footing. "Have you ever personally buried one of your subjects? Have you given them their passing rites? Have you laid down flowers on their last resting place?" Painful memories of her past crossed through her mind, causing her breath to quicken. The pain in her chest was unbearable, but she needed this. "Have you had to meet the eyes of a widow as you tell her that her husband remains could not be recovered? Had a child ask you why they couldn't see daddy anymore?" "If you have not suffered along your subjects, don't you dare call yourself royalty!" Divine magic combined with the eldritch, Ophelia's fingers crackling with arcane energy as she cast a spell she'd become most familiar with. A giant fireball shot from her fingertips, flying at blinding speed towards Idra. The same fireball was laced with black energy, making its flames reminiscent of those sent from hell itself. It exploded on impact, engulfing the entire arena in black and orange flames that burnt the grounds without a sign of stopping. Umbra's dress was as good as it got when it came to magical protection; only the uncovered parts of Ophelia's skin seared with burning agony. But it was nothing compared to the agony she'd experienced while all alone. It was nothing compared to the shame she would feel if she let down Neon. "Until... you can resonate with the suffering of others, you will never be a true monarch. Give up now... before I make you regret ever crossing paths with me."

 

[Tenzai]

ɴᴏᴡ ᴘʟᴀʏɪɴɢ: ꜱᴛɪᴄᴋ ᴛᴏ ʏᴏᴜʀ ᴏᴡɴ ʙᴇʟɪᴇꜰ | ᴅʏɴᴀꜱᴛʏ ᴡᴀʀʀɪᴏʀꜱ: ᴏʀɪɢɪɴ - ᴏꜱᴛ ↻ ◁ || ▷ ↺​ "Do you wield your weapons. Or do they wield you? It is like a child wearing a tunic three sizes too big for them. Such equipment is wasted on a coward like you." Her eyes furrowed at the idea that her taunts were cutting deep into her pride. Her armor was glamorous, befitting of the higher circles of her species, though as a result of it given her young age, many others in Heaven had assumed the same. Her title and her parents had afforded her power and status at the cost of being seen as an inheritor of it, rather than someone who had earned it via her own works. "I'll release it from the disgrace of being worn by you." The first slash came fast, much faster than Idra had expected. However, the holy warrior princess did not move nor stumble. Her divine shield was resolute, acting as a match for Ophelia's carving darkness. "Tough words coming from someone who wasted her years in a tower." Her armor seemed unscathed by the swiftness of her first strike. While she herself might have gotten the question of the divine, her armor was blessed by a holy blacksmith, one that could be seen handling the work of gods. "I've trained with the armor of gods. All you have is nothing but experience with shadows." Despite her words, her boots were pushed back, leaving a trail of shifted dirt from the force of her attack. Her armor was impeccable but her stance had hinted at her dependence on her gear for her success. Ophelia had the speed to go against Idra's resilience. She wielded darkness against Idra's light. "Tell me, Idra," A plume of dust had shot up from where she landed, leaving clouds born of sand around the battlefield. Even though the crowd had cheered their names, to Idra, her battlefield was silent. All that mattered were herself and the woman in front of her and she knew she couldn't afford to lose, especially not to someone so new in name and title. Ophelia was no champion. She was no renowned warrior. She was a lucky human that ruled over a backwater world generations ago, nothing more. "Have you ever personally buried one of your subjects? Have you given them their passing rites? Have you laid down flowers on their last resting place?" "My subjects are eternal. They are perfect. They know not of defeat." A smirk crossed her face from underneath her helmet finding another significant difference between her kingdom and Ophelia's. "Looks like your kind are only good at dying. Quite like your team, how fitting." The pain from her past fight was made apparent, leading to her limbs moving slower than they had when fighting Neon. Though where she lacked in freshness, her vitriol had served instead as fuel for her speed as well as some other unknown dark force. "Have you had to meet the eyes of a widow as you tell her that her husband remains could not be recovered? Had a child ask you why they couldn't see daddy anymore?" Idra grew quiet, hearing the same thought be brought up by her dad before he passed. The painful memory of his lectures alone had caused her to grit her teeth, making her shield grow even brighter with divine resistance. "If you have not suffered along your subjects, don't you dare call yourself royalty!" "What do you know about royalty?!"​ Pointing her spear at the growing amalgamation of darkness in front of her, the princess of light had readied herself to pierce through the corruption that came from Ophelia's patron's boon. However, before she was able to stab through it, the small ball of darkness suddenly grew massive, overtaking her shield, leading to it cracking upon impact and finally... Breaking. With a single attack, Idra's concentration on her defense had cracked, shattering the indomitable protective outer shell that so many others had struggled with piercing through in the past. The fact that she had done so that quickly had caused a roar to take the stands, leading to even Neon standing from her seat to cheer. While Neon herself might have been able to break through the shield, it wasn't without tons of sacrifice to come before. Perhaps Ophelia stood a chance. "KICK HER ASS!" "THATS MY PRINCESS!" "MAKE US PROUD!" "... Clap clap clap. Woooo." Her team had offered Ophelia her hopes as Idra swiped her blade to clear the arena of the dark soot and smoke that clouded her vision. Her armor was still stubbornly standing, though from the looks of it, it was the last layer standing in between her and her vulnerable flesh. "Until... you can resonate with the suffering of others, you will never be a true monarch. Give up now... before I make you regret ever crossing paths with me." The offer of surrender had made the princess laugh. "You're asking me? The future queen of the Northern Sky, to give up? How ignorant you are! Let me show you the power of someone deemed to lord over Heaven." Her spear glowed annoyingly bright, illuminated enough to render those too close and without protection blind. From the channeling of its energy, it seemed that the denial of vision was not its only intended effect as the very air molecules around began to heat up with divine fire. "Try and dodge this if you can." With her massive weapon, she threw a wave of light back in Ophelia's direction. Though her attack was slower than Neon's were, it made up for that lack of speed in size and power, bathing the arena in force as it traveled towards Ophelia. However, while it might've made short work of her if she was unable to rise off the ground, Idra was far from done. Following after her first volley, the back of her armor sprouted wings as jets underneath had given her speed to adjust for her armor's overwhelming weight. It was through the expert use of her gear that made her a dangerous foe to most, one that required Ophelia's answer to her god. Wielding her massive spear, its point reached Ophelia's rapier as she charged, forcing it to bend as it parried away most of its force into the ground, causing the very floor itself to crack, bending light as it collided only to leave behind a glowing mark of consecrated dust behind. "How dare you speak to me like we're equals! Your entire kingdom had lived for only a portion of my father's own!" Massive thrusts had afforded Ophelia enough time to strike twice in between every handheld artillery strike driven into her position. Though with every cut of her rapier, the tip bounced from swiftness alone. Whichever force that existed behind her blade needed to work in tandem with her and her deity. "I will not let you speak ill of it or me! You haven't earned that right!" Becoming disgruntled at the fact that her spear was too slow with her shield unable to block in time, Idra finally let go of the shield, letting it fall with a heavy thud as she wielded her spear with both hands. If she simply let this fight go on as is, neither of them would be able to strike down their opponent and she wasn't going to let someone speak ill of her entitlement to her royalty without suffering the taste of defeat at the hands of her light first. By surviving the first attacks and breaking through her shield, Idra had deemed her worthy of her effort and her fight. "Is that all your tough words have? Is that all your strength amounts to? Don't make me laugh." "If you were worthy of your title, you would've landed a meaningful blow by now."​ Realizing that Ophelia's method of escape was to always remain out of reach instead of casting a shield to protect herself, the princess had shifted her tactic, casting a spell that created a shield which forced her inside. The wall was transparent, too thick to cut through easily without risking herself with another eldritch fireball. "All that talk just for you to disappoint your friends." Reaching towards a sheath that rested at her hip, as she let go of the spear, it vanished into golden sparkles. only to have a certain vampire's blade take its place. "It would be poetic for Neon's blade to be what does you in." A fan of the theatrics, the angelic princess had infused Ophelia's friend's weapon with a shroud of her own light, tainting its darksteel-forged origin with consecration gold. "A perfect end for such an imperfect being." "Be proud that your common blood had brought you this far."​