Special Powers III: Castles of Maybe

[Camoninja]

An odd phenomenon occurs in _'s mind. A voice seems to come from inside his own head, and strangely enough the sound itself seems to be colored red. Looks like bad news.

REMEMBER THE CONTRACT. SOME OF YOU HAVE ALREADY DEFILED REALITY, AND YOU NOW ALL BEGIN TO DEFILE MINDS AS WELL. I WILL ONLY SPARE THOSE WHO HAVE THE RESPONSIBILITY TO CONTROL SUCH POWER. ALL OTHERS SHALL PERISH!

THIS WILL BE YOUR LAST WARNING, FOOLS. SEEK MY WRATH AND YOU WILL FIND IT IN THIS DIMENSION OF "MAYBE".

_ disregards this voice. He attempts to control the trident bearer's body... and encounters a barrier. Either this person can defend her mind well, or the mysterious voice actually could unleash its wrath on him. Or maybe both. And maybe the phone isn't a good toy to play with. Meanwhile, the trident still whirls toward him. There's nothing to do now but duck. He slams himself into the ground while the trident swoops by his head. He turns his feet around to tangle the nymph's legs while she is busy fighting the wind woman.

Skill change: I can't permanently possess anyone else's body without the body's owner's permission. I can still switch two people at once, but I need both consents though. However I can still take 1 AP to use someone else's body and items (if I know how to use them), but still not their powers, and at the end of the turn I am returned to my body.

Actions:
1. Distract the nymph's mind attempting to possess. Next turn the nymph should have to take one AP to block my mind attack, (http://elementscommunity.org/forum/index.php/topic,36578.24#msg492006) according to the spoiler in that post.
2. Dodge nymph's attack.
3. Attempt to trip the nymph.

[Cel]

(http://tektek.org/avatar/48214223)
I feel the wind suddenly pick up... in a thick forest...? Moon-like wings flicker into my perception and attack the shadowy body. A beautiful chiaroscuro scene flashes before my eyes before blood splashes out and the image - or illusion - vanishes. Confused and enraged the beast seeks cover in the forest shadows. Pained breathing keeps me aware of its presence but I can't determine its exact location.
I kept my ready position, but it hardly mattered, as I couldn't tell where the wolf was.
Then I hear a crash and thud. The wolf had jumped on my newly-found ally, tearing deep into his arm. I took my chance and tossed my blade, it flew straight and carved along the curve of its face, shredding right through its eye.
1: Attack wolf (critical hit)
It turns toward me, snarling viciously, but despite this, still limping from its back wounds. The man in blue slowly falls onto his side. It tries a last feeble lunge at me, but I dodge and strike, slicing open its throat as I side step.
2: Dodge and slice (killing wolf)
After making sure the wolf is dead, I hurry to my new ally. I search through my brain for any information on treating wounds. I know I need to stop the bleeding... but... its deep. Cloth wont do it I need to seal it or-
A thought occurs to me. Concentrating hard, I silently thank Zanzarino that the blonde man is asleep, and begin to summon whisps of fire to burn shut the wound.
3: Use fire to close Thalas's arm wound

[Xenocidius]

I must admit that physical pain is not my thing. It is rare that I experience it, so at first I was not entirely sure what this sensation was. After a moment, my brain decided to label it as unpleasant. I realized that this was the pain that everyone complains about. It does not feel good. Perhaps I should stop inflicting it on other people.

But I can ponder morality and ethics some other time. Though I may be new to physical pain, this large mass of red liquid seeping out of my body seems to indicate that I am dying. I have never before considered the possibility of death, and doing so now, I do not like it.

Suddenly I remember that yellow geek's magical phone, and how he had healed himself with it. Perhaps I can also use its power. My mind reaches out to his, and it is familiar, as I have connected with it before. I ensnare it like a bear ensnaring his prey, and with my last ounce of strength force him to heal me.

1. Control Zblader
2. Text - Miracle (1/2)
3. Text - Miracle (2/2)

As my mind focuses on my own body, I notice that the pain has disappeared. The healing has worked, and I am not dying any more. A small cut remains ... almost as if I was only healed to my maximum health - 1. Possibly as a way to prevent easy elemental masteries. I press the cloth of my cloak onto it and dab away the rest of the blood.

I am exhausted, as if I have performed all the actions I can temporarily. I lean against a tree, observing this peculiar scene unfolding before me.

[OldTrees]

Summary:
Golem body 1 animates, creates a friend and repairs.

Actions
0) Golem body 2 rendered inanimate and destroyed from wyrm's attack.
0) Golem body 1 in need of repair (aka damaged)
1) Animate Golem body 3
2) Create Golem body 4
3) Golem repairs itself
(http://tektek.org/avatar/48212724)
Status:

Trident is on the ground
Golem body 1 is animated
Golem body 2 is destroyed
1 inanimate golem body (#3) in the middle of nowhere
OldTrees rooted somewhere

[ZephyrPhantom]

One correctly hesitates until my fury passes. Two others fail to heed my warning.
Very well. I do not hold back on my words.

The defilers have touched the Minds of Others. Let's see how they all respond to mindless puppets.
The Nymph gets up, and begins to back away slowly. The Wyrms, on the other hand, boldly redouble their assault.

Suddenly, the Earth rumbles.... it seems the sword Ankh left behind desires action once more.

"Ragnorok!" I yell, summoning the sword out of the ground and impaling the Nymph. For good measure, I run up and grab the blade to further harm the Nymph, hoping that this brings an end to the assault.
1. Summon Ragnorok from the ground. (From Special Powers 2 : Ragnorok - A sword whose essence is buried by the magic of the earth itself. It can be summoned from the ground.)
2. Run up and grab Ragnorok.
3. Twist/Pull out the blade and slash repeatedly. Ouch.
"Not... bad..." She collaspes as all the wounds from everyone else finally take their toll on her despite her Drain Life. Her body dissolves, leaving in my hand a small scroll of parchment. It's blank but seems to be... sanctified, somehow, so I quickly pocket it and decide to ponder it's use later. I'll need a bag if I want to keep storing items....
The Wyrms continue their assault, only this time they are accompanied by gunfire and lasers. To our horror, the dust clears to reveal three more figures made out of a shining metal.

"COMMAND UNIT ALPHA-1" One of the lesser-looking drones speaks. "TARGETS CONFIRMED. PROCEED WITH COMBAT INITIAION?"

The "leader" of the three, wearing a black helmet, replies "YES. DELETE THEM ALL ON ORDER OF THE MASTER, BETA-1 and BETA-2."

Name : Command Unit Alpha-1 Class : Robot Default APP: 3 w/Bonuses : 4 Status : Hostile Items : Vulcan Wings : Enables flight. Gains +1 APP to current APP total. (Total APP:4) Laser Blaster Abilities : Scrap Regeneration - Can absorb non-magical scrap metal to regenerate body parts. Robotic - Immune to Poison, Drain, Mind Effects, and Biological Healing. May take extra damage from electricity.

Name : Unit Beta-1 Class : Robot Default APP: 2 Status : Hostile Items : Machine Gun (4/4) Riot Shield : Physical Attacks have a 20% chance to be less effective than the attacker intended them to be. (use www.random.org for dicerolls) Abilities : Reload : Reload gun to full capacity. Requires 2 APP. Robotic - Immune to Poison, Drain, Mind Effects, and Biological Healing. May take extra damage from electricity.

Name : Unit Beta-2 Class : Robot Default APP: 2 Status : Hostile Items : Machine Gun (4/4) Riot Shield : Physical Attacks have a 20% chance to be less effective than the attacker intended them to be. (use www.random.org for dicerolls) Abilities : Reload : Reload gun to full capacity. Requires 2 APP. Robotic - Immune to Poison, Drain, Mind Effects, and Biological Healing. May take extra damage from electricity.

Name : Minor Wyrm 1 Abilities : Dive - Fly up in the sky then dive at the opponent in a gambit to inflict more damage. Takes 2 actions. Default APP: 1 Status : Hostile Items : None

Name : Minor Wyrm 2 Abilities : Dive - Fly up in the sky then dive at the opponent in a gambit to inflict more damage. Takes 2 actions. Default APP: 1 Status : Hostile Items : None

My gift of minions to fight you. Enjoy. Perhaps had you listened to my warning, you could've had dealt with less. Or perhaps you should run while you still are alive,to fight Alpha-1 another day...
The Wyrms seem overconfident now, attacking us in what seems to be sheer rashness.
The stoic robots, on the other hand, simply continue to fire.

"And there are at least ten thousand of such enemies wandering around here..." I think.

"Guys, we may need to retreat!"
Enemy Actions:
Wyrm 1:
1) Attack Camoninja.

Wyrm 2:
2) Attack EvaRia.

Command Unit Alpha-1:
1) Fire Laser Blaster at Xenocidius.
2) Fire Laser Blaster at Ariel.
3) (Passes due to Low Roll)
4) Fire Laser Blaster at OldTrees Golem #1 NOT UNLIKE MYSELF. JUST MORE ORGANIC.

Unit Beta-1:
1) (Passes due to low roll)
2) Fire Machine Gun at Ariel.

Unit Beta-2
1) Fire Machine Gun at OldTrees Golem #1.
2) Fire Machine Gun at EvaRia.

Ariel

Statuses:

Powers: (1)
Gemini Mask (Both)

Items: (3/3)
Reality Phone
Ragnorok
Sanctified Scroll - Cannot be stolen or destroyed without the holder's consent. (However, it is blank.)

Summons: (0)

Alliances (1/3)
OldTrees

[OldTrees]

More enemies, worth another post. Please warn me if I am posting too often.

Summary:
3-4 Golem bodies can be obtained as part of movement to let me follow you if you retreat. Alternatively ZBlader and EvaRia know how to construct Golem bodies with 1 AP.

Actions
0) New enemies (2 serious gunshot wounds)
1) Speak: I can follow anyone that brings a body with them or makes one once away. The rest can act as a buffer.
2) Create Golem body 5
3) Create Golem body 6
(http://tektek.org/avatar/48212724)
Status:

Trident is on the ground
Golem body 1 is animated
Golem body 2 is destroyed
1 inanimate golem body (#3) in the middle of nowhere
Golem bodies 4-6 are available to be picked up during retreats.
OldTrees rooted somewhere

[ZephyrPhantom]

More enemies, worth another post. Please warn me if I am posting too often.

At the rate we're going, it's perfectly okay. The only thing I discourage is double-posting.
1. Using Ragnorok, deflect bullets Jedi-style while everyone else slowly retreats as a group. (If you guys want to take Xeno with us, use one of your actions to drag him along or he can move himself with us. Ariel/Ankh is pretty distrustful of him at this point so in-character actions don't include him ATM.)
Command Unit Alpha-1:
1) Fire at EvaRia
2-4) Realizing a retreat is occurring, fire blindly at entire group hoping to slow them down.

Unit Beta-1:
1) Fire Machine Gun at Ariel.
2) Fire Machine Gun at Ariel.

Unit Beta-2
1) Fire Machine Gun at Ariel.
2) Fire Machine Gun at Ariel.

Wyrm 1:
1) Pursue retreating group.

Wyrm 2:
2) Pursue retreating group.
2. Take a s***load of bullets to the body, and leap out of everyone's sight seeing as they seem to be succesfully getting away. I need to... observe... for a bit...
3. Text - Heal as I watch the rest of the group retreat from behind a nearby tree. Status : Dying  -> Gravely Wounded. Still, so many bullets... aghhhhhhh....

Even simply moving my hand is painful. On the bright side, we'll probably be able to draw off the Wyrms...


Ariel

Statuses:
Gravely Wounded - Follow-up hostile actions are more likely to kill this character. Close to dying.
Powers: (1)
Gemini Mask (Both)

Items: (3/3)
Reality Phone
Ragnorok
Sanctified Scroll - Cannot be stolen or destroyed without the holder's consent. (However, it is blank.)

Summons: (0)

Alliances (1/3)
OldTrees

[Xenocidius]

The yellow geek has protected all of us, even me, despite everything I have done to him. I feel a twinge of some strange emotion inside me ... I am not sure what it is. Gratitude? Remorse?

If this keeps up we will not survive. I cannot hope to survive against these robots on my own, especially considering my powers do not work on them. Time to do something that I have never done before.

1-3: Cloak entire group.

I did not expect this to work, yet it somehow does. As my Cloak expands to shield everyone, it seems to become lighter ... less of a burden on me. What could this possibly be?

ACHIEVEMENT UNLOCKED: Shield multiple people with your Cloak.

The Cloak has been imbued with the power of Gratitude! It now only costs 1 AP to activate.

It was too weak, so I found a way to buff it while still flowing smoothly with the story. Yeah.

Since I am the one maintaining the Cloak, the others are free to perform any actions they wish. I for one hope that one of them is able to get us the hell out of here.

[OldTrees]

Summary:
Ride formed. Can hold 4.

Actions
0) Cloaked golems and golem bodies
1) Retrieve Trident
2) Combine all 4 golem bodies into quadrupedal platform
3) Moves away. (Costs 1AP to ride Golem. Limit 4.)
(http://tektek.org/avatar/48212724)
Status:

Trident obtained
Golem Quadruped moving away. Max load = 4.
OldTrees rooted somewhere

[Thalas]

The castle of Maybe was looming over the horizont as tyrant looking at his thrall. Its power increased, which proved the unstable trees now bending in hypnotic rythm. Right and left, right left, changing landscape into country of metronomes. Right and left, right left counting down your life. Right and left, left, left bowing to their new master, the Castle of Maybe. This magical force stretched 1000 yards away, not overlooking a single tree.
Eerie howling resounded through the wood. Another 5 wolves were drawing near. Raziela grabbed Thalas into her hands and lifted him from the ground, Deo just shook her head and blinked, 6 times just to be sure, that she sees unconscious Thalas floating in the air. He picked up speed and started withdrawing. Deo followed him.
 
When they reached the required distance from castle, where trees were trees with leaves and still branches and no howling was present, Raziela lay injured Thalas in the shadow of old oak and placed her hands onto Thalas' shoulder. It started regenerating..
1. Escape
2. Raziela heals Thalas
My shoulder hurt and I had weird taste in my mouth.  But I felt rested. Slowly my eye lids opened, for moment new light dazzled me. Silver-hair was sitting on the tree and was talking with Raziela. Raziela ?!?
"You can see her?" I mumbled
"Hello, my name is Deo." She replied, it wasn't cheerful, it was cold greeting.
"I turned my oneself sightable to her," Raziela clarified the situation " and as well I spoke with her, about destiny of ours."
"And what you have you agreed on?"
"First of all we find fourth member of our group" answered my Raziela
"And then destroy the castle!" Deo added
3. Talking with Deo

[Cel]

(http://tektek.org/avatar/48214223)
I was exhausted, the blonde man was unconscious and five more wolves were drawing near. What the heck am I supposed to do? I can't save my self and the man... my telekinesis isn't yet strong enough to manipulate two heavy objects.
Then, once again, glorious pearly wings glow across my vision... and the man begins to float...? I shake my head to be sure it isn't the madness creating these images, then blink to be sure it's all real. Then I levitate into the air. I'm not about to question such a well-timed miracle.
1: Use my telekinesis to save myself and follow Thalas
After a few minutes of flying, we finally get out of the reality warping aura, the trees bellow are more friendly looking, and much less twisted. The blonde man floats into the shadow of a oak tree. I land on one of the tree's thick branches, watching as a glowing light spreads over his shoulder and down his arm.
Thinking through what this seemingly sentient power might be, it occurs to me that it is rather similar to The Castle before he got twisted with uncertainty.
"So, what exactly are you?" I ask, directing my voice more towards the air than to the man's still unconscious body. Glittering out of nothing, a lady dressed in white and chains with the wings of a swan drifted before me.
"My name is Raziela, and this is Thalas. I am his guardian angel."
"So you were the one who carried him, and attack that wolf with your wings?"
Raziela nodded, looking me over, probably trying to figure me out. "What is a young girl like you doing in the forest by your self? Did you come to The Castle of Maybe in hopes of treasure?"
I shook my head; treasure meant little to me - The Castle mentioned but did not explain the human obsession with gold. "No, I want to free it from its corruption. Unfortunately though I cannot do that on my own, I was looking for allies."
Raziela quietly considered this for a long time than decided, "we'll help you, but we'll still need a fourth person."
A rustle of movement made us both turn our head, Thalas was looking at us both.
He mumbled something I couldn't hear.
"Hello, my name is Deo." Down cast by the serious mood, my greeting was rather curt.
Raziela floated down to him and they began to talk. Unsure of whether it concerned me or not, so I tried not to listen, only I couldn't help but add after Raziela finished speaking, "and then destroy the castle!" Rather venomously.
2: Talk to Raziela and Thalas

[Camoninja]

_ is on the ground, with that blasted wyrm still after him. Mobile sentry guns appear from the dust in the air, and shoot in the direction of anything containing Special Powers. _ does not see any way to escape either enemy, and feels like a cornered animal. He decides to act like one- he rolls under the legs of the robot (to behind it), while the robot was targeting someone else. The robot senses a Special Power from _'s previous direction and shoots its laser at the wyrm. _ does not want to think of something else to do, so finds someone who might be willing to switch bodies. Unfortunately the best opportunity of switching is just as likely to end up dead as _ happens to be. Nevertheless, he pushes his mind onto the injured person, offering a trade.

Wyrm attacked before I was cloaked, so I'm catching up with my actions. I'm counting cloak activating after my 3 actions end.
1. Dodge wyrm.
2. Lure the alpha to shoot the wyrm.
3. Offer switch with Zblader.