No Better Cure Than Music

The member 'Aceflux' has done the following action : Dice Rolls

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'Monster Dice' :

Urania had been doing jobs for a few months and she felt like she was starting to finally become acquainted with how the guild system worked here. Jobs, at least at her level, typically consisted of going around and entertaining people, retrieving a lost item, or fulfilling someone's wishes. Of course, this was never without its dangers, even something as simple as finding a rare rose had ended up with more than a few bad wounds. But that's just how things were here, guild life didn't exactly play nice all the time. However, there was one request that she had recently received that stood out compared to the rest. A village in northern Fiore, nearly untouched by magic, had suddenly experienced something most bizarre- their crops were mutating. Growing larger, darker in color and growing thorns that made them almost impossible to pick without the use of tools far too expensive for anyone in the town to buy. They were looking for a mage to come in and investigate the sudden change in their crops, because with there being no magic users in the town they had no explanation for it.

Urania had taken the job and traveled out to The Beanstalk Villiage to start the job. The trip had taken two weeks, the first day spent on a train. Then, however, the line between the station they had stopped at between the village had been closed down due to the events in the village. So she had to walk. It wasn't that big of a deal to her, she had spent most of her life traveling as it was, be it on a boat, by foot, or even using a tame dragon. By the time she arrived in the village, she found that the situation had not grown much worse. The crops, somehow, had stayed mostly ripe despite the lack of water they had been receiving. It was too dangerous for them to go out and water the fields. She started her investigation at the largest farm in the village, a sprawling estate with a large manor at its head. As she made her way through the path sitting between the various fields, something stirred beneath foot. A dark feeling, something trembling deep below ground, resonating with her very soul. She had felt this same presence while exploring the spooky forest not long ago, it was a dark and vile magic. Some called it curse magic, some called it hex magic or negative runic magic, but in reality all this was was just a corrupted form of magic used by the lowest of the low. Magic meant to twist and turn the very being of people and their will.

She had barely made it halfway through the field when she heard the first of the plants begin to change. A sickening, snapping noise that echoed across the flattened land. Turning her head to the left Urania saw that in the fields, a patch of tomatoes was growing to an impressive size, nearly a foot tall for each of them. When they had finished and fallen off the now grotesquely large vine, the seemed to stand on twisted roots and charge towards Urania, ten in all. Removing The Martyrs Ax from her hip belt, Urania readied herself for battle. She had to be careful not to damage any of the crops as she activated the ax and started to fight, fire and plantlife didn't work well together. The first of the tomato monsters reached her and collided into her, nearly knocking her off her feet. Despite the impact of three of the beasts, Urania managed to stand her ground. Even though they were large, they barely weighed anything. Guess they weren't very dense, more like balloons than actual plants. She kicked forward and threw one of the tomatoes back, and spun to face the two that had moved behind her and swung her ax. If her ax was any normal ax, it would have caught against the beast. The Martyr's Ax had a blade made of fire, allowing her to make clean cuts and remove it quickly allowing her to strike again.

The monster she had struck with the ax singed and the smell of roasting food started to fill the air. Urania readied another attack, but it never connected as mid swing she felt a large and powerful torrent of something hit her back, sending her tumbling forward into the brambled of corrupted plant life. She felt thorns pierce through her clothing, scraping at her skin as she landed on the ground. Her back burned as the scalding liquid she had been blasted with faded away. She needed to hurry this up before things got any worse, luckily she was equipped with just the right set of spells for the occasion. It hadn't taken long for Urania to realize just what had happened to the two she had struck earlier but as she turned she saw them, unmoving. She had, in the most literal sense, cooked them. Guess it was a good thing that she had a source of fire on hand. That was two down, leaving eight to go. She turned back around to the advancing tomatoes, ax ready in hand. All it took was one hit, so all she needed to do was not get hit and she would be fine. Yeah, simple as that right?

First order of business was to get them out of the fields. She couldn't risk damaging the crops and losing her reward on this job. She analyzed her surroundings, trying to find the best route of escape but to no avail. Before she could find anything she got a face full of steaming tomato juice that pushed her far into the fields. At this rate, she was going to have to buy some new clothes because with how much she was getting thrown around these wouldn't be very saveable. She pulled herself to her feet and took off towards the path in the center of the fields, turning and heading back towards the entrance to the farm. Once she was far enough away she turned around and stood her ground, watching those awful plants advance. The first to make it to her was the largest of the group. It was nearly two feet tall and was practically bouncing towards her rather than running. When it reached her Urania kicked it hard, knocking it into the air where she promptly dispatched of it with her ax, launching it back into the field. The next three weren't far behind it, and if Urania wasn't careful, she knew they would get the better of her. She took a step back, bending her knees slightly and lowering her stance for support. The first of them lept at her, and she managed to knock it away. The second and third however took a split approach- one of them jumping up and colliding with her head while the other took the low route and swept her legs, knocking her off her feet and causing her to fall forward into the flagstone pathway beneath her.

That... hurt. She rolled onto her back and threw her legs to get herself back onto her feet. She made sure that wouldn't happen again by quickly taking care of the one in front her, throwing her ax at it and watching as it landed dead center. She heard the other one jump behind her but she was ready, rolling forward and grabbing her ax before making quick work of it. Eight down, two to go. She turned, expecting them to still be advancing but she saw nothing. Just the fields and the burnt tomatoes she had dealt with earlier. She loosened up a bit, knowing that she had to be ready to move at a moments notice- they could be anywhere. But after a few minutes of focus, she didn't notice anything. No rustling in the field, no sound of 'foot'steps on the path. Nothing. The silence was almost deafening. She sighed, her body already starting to ache. That has so far been one of the toughest encounters she had to date, but she had to press on. She began to walk down the path towards the farmhouse once more.

After a few minutes, she made it, walking up to the door and reaching to knock. Before she could, however, she felt something wrap around her ankle, and start dragging her away. She fell to the ground with a heavy thud, before getting pulled down the stairs and back into the fields. She fought and spat back, trying her best to free herself but to no avail. Urania reached for her ax, and to her horror realized she had dropped it on the porch when she was grabbed. As she was pulled into the fields she saw the last two tomatoes, launching themselves at her. They both landed hard, knocking the wind out of her and causing quite a significant amount of pain. That was almost certainly going to leave a bruise. She breathed deep trying to catch her breath after that before letting out a war cry. She belted out an impressive roar, a green aura surrounding her as her wounds healed slowly but surely, and a small amount of strength was returned to her. She kicked and thrashed, freeing herself from the vines as she scrambled to her feet, eyes darting from the tomato monsters to the porch before she began to sprint, diving onto the porch and grabbing her ax. It was running out of charge, she was going to have to think, fast.

The final two Tomatoes had begun to advance towards the house. She started to walk towards them, ready to defend herself if she needed to. She swung her ax and took out the first of the tomatoes, and the second lept at her not soon after. It collided with her, but she brushed it off and knocked it to the ground, quickly kicking it well across the field. She watched to make sure it didn't return, and thankfully it didn't. Seems that was enough to kill it. Urania sighed as she made sure, one last time, nothing else had shown up. Nothing, no more tomatoes had shown up to stop her from reaching the house.

Now that that whole mess was over, she finally managed to get the door. She knocked once and got no reply. She tried again a few minutes later with no response. Eventually, being fed up with this and fearing she would get dragged back out into the field she just grabbed the handle and attempted to open the door- only to be met with a sharp, biting cold through her whole body. She took a few steps back as the world around her turned dark, near pitch black. Even the ground beneath her turned black, making her feel like she was floating in the void itself. She took one more step back, expecting to go down the stairs to the porch but only felt more flat ground. Her ax wasn't even emitting light as it flickered out, returning to its inert state. Urania groaned and clipped it back to her belt, looking around to see if there was anything in this vast dark plane. Nothing. Just an endless sea of darkness. And yet she herself wasn't coated in this darkness, a source of endless confusion for her.

"Curious. A guild mage shows herself just at the apex of my plan. Not only that, but a mage who appears to not use any magic, but rather, a magical tool. Tell me, girl, do you actually have magic? Or are you just a normal person who stumbled across that ax of yours?" Came a voice from behind her. She turned to see a man, old in age and dressed in dark robes with a gold trim. He held a staff in his hand, looking like a wizard of old- back before the guilds or major civilized powers. "Or perhaps you simply believe in your own ability enough to think that you don't need your magic? Regardless, I can't begin to express the annoyance you have just brought me. I was nearly ready to bring my plan into its final phase and you happen to show up just as I am about to set it in motion?"

"I- I just- I was just answering a job request. I kind of... kind of figured there was someone behind this, I mean stuff- stuff like this doesn't always happen! Of course, I had to be the one to take this job and piss off some old... old maniac!" She said, pinching the bridge of her nose and shaking her head. When she opened her eyes again the world around her had been restored with one minor difference- she was no longer on the far. She was above it, on a platform in the sky made from hardlight and standing before her was that mage, staff in hand, surrounded by 15 monstrous, grotesque ears of corn. She took a step back in shock, turning behind her to see that they stood on opposite ends of the platform. Urania had nearly just fallen to her death.

"It's a shame really. You've set my plans back by a week at least. I could have been marching across Fiore atop a giant fire-breathing pumpkin by now, but I had to deal with a guild brat interfering with my plans." The mage said, pointing forward with his staff. Eight of the corn monsters began to advance, while the other seven began to fire corn kernels at a high rate, almost like gunfire. Urania quickly rolled out of the way of the 'bullets' and took her violin off of her back, and began to play Knight's Valor knowing it would be the only chance she would have to survive this encounter. The mage looked at her with a raised eyebrow, clearly confused that her response to his attack was to begin playing music.

This confusion, however, was quickly put to rest as a spectral knight formed over her, clad in regal silver armor with a floral pattern carved into the chest plate and pauldron, and a large tower shield with a rose insignia on the front. She stopped playing, drawing her ax and trying to ignite it. Nothing, it hadn't gained its charge back yet. That wasn't good. She spat out a curse as she heard the corn begin to fire again, the knight managing to block most of the incoming kernels. Some however made it through, hitting Urania and causing her to yell out in pain as they bounced off her skin, leaving red marks everywhere. She groaned as she stood up and holstered her violin. She began to sing Natures Blessing, autumnal leaves forming around her and falling to the ground. A pair of antlers formed on her head as she sang, signifying the boost in power the spell would give to her allies. She could feel it to, potent magic coursing through her veins and luckily, into her ax- charging it up once more. But that's not she had cast the spell for, no she needed to get rid of the corn monsters that were charging her down. If they got to her, her knight wouldn't be able to keep up with it all leaving her open to either danger that she was facing. Her body began to ache again, having taken a beating from the kernels being fire at her.

She unholstered her violin once more, trying to decide the best way to go about this. She only had one truly offensive spell she could use here, but she would have to be close enough when the song finished for her to take out enough of the corn monsters for this to be effective. Just thinking about this situation was making her angry- this was supposed to be a simple job, and it had turned into this fiasco. She groaned, and looked at the advancing group of eight corn monsters, charging toward them as she began to play the song Burial At Sea. She had to play it in double time, or else there was no way it would finish in time. As the music played and its notes formed above her head on a scale in gold lettering, her eyes glowed white and sparked with electricity, her expression growing more violent as the song went on. Clouds formed the platform, rain pouring down hard, soaking the ground beneath her and the wizard as the air filled with electricity, Urania's hair seemingly alive with power as it flowed and moved with the current in the air. As the song ended the sound of rushing water could be heard, and a large torrent of water surrounded her catching the corn monsters that had just arrived in it as lightning struck down, flashing in the charged air.

Due to the buff she had applied earlier, this torrent of water was particularly strong, washing the corn around in circles and boiling them as the water was struck with lightning. When the spell ended, the water dispersed in all directions, flinging the corn off the platform and leaving only the seven that had been firing at her this whole time. She collapsed to her knees, breathing heavy and coughing hard. Her body hurt so much it was hard to move, but luckily she had one last warcry in her. Time for the final push. Urania yelled, her body surrounded by a green aura as her knight faded, that spell finally ending. Now that she was fully exposed to the hail of kernels she had to get moving. She stood up and took off toward the wizard and his monsters, drawing and activating her ax. Her body burned from exhaustion, but she had to keep going. She took her ax and chopped at the first few corn monster standing next to the mage, knocking them off the platform as well. But as she did something felt off, wrong even. She felt her legs go weak, feeling like jelly until she couldn't feel them at all. She fell forward, colliding with the hard light below her, landing at the wizards feet.

"I must admit, I am impressed by that little display you put on. I simply couldn't interfere with your performance, it was splendid! But now I'm afraid your show is over. I can't allow you to continue to interfere with my plans." The mage said raising his staff and swinging it at Urania, knocking her over the head it. She was forced to roll over because of the strength in the swing, which allowed her to see him winding up for his next strike. He raised his staff over his head and struck- but Urania was able to catch his staff her hands.

"Should've aimed for my arms man. You should know most mages are much better with their arms than their hands." She said, taking her ax and lighting his staff on fire. As it burned the fire turned black and Urania felt the feeling in her legs return. She pulled herself to her feet but quickly felt the sting of kernels hitting her once more. Strafing to the side, Urania took her ax and swung wildly- one strike, two strikes, three strikes. She took down two more of the corn monsters, leaving three and the mage left. The mage yelled with anger, casting another spell. Selahs head swam for a moment as her vision left her, leaving her in total darkness. She took a few steps back, trying to listen for the next move but it was too late. She felt the mage's staff strike her stomach hard, forcing her back before she heard kernels begin to fire again. She rolled back and, hopefully, out of the way of fire.

As she popped up from the rolled her vision returned to her, allowing Urania to get her bearings once more. She drew her ax, facing the corn monsters and the mage. The mage was still furious with her, she would have to watch out. Who knows what he was capable of. She watched as the corn monsters began to fire again, and waiting for the first few kernels to fly before dodging to the side. Urania had almost done that perfectly, but she felt kernels pelting her just as the dodge ended. She coughed hard, worried she may have just coughed up blood but too preoccupied to check. Shaking her head, Urania dashed forward and swung hard at the corn monsters still with the mage. Clearly, they weren't that smart or else they would have moved away from the edge of the platform by now because so far nearly all of them had been slain by being thrown from the platform.