[TCS] THE CREATOR'S TEST - Printable Version

THE CREATOR'S TEST

[THE BLACK SERPENT]

112 / 250 HP 45%

▼ BLEEDING ▼ INFESTED ▼ BURNING

The beast before the Gembounds throbbed with stolen magic, a pulsing black shimmer filling the air around it like boiling Oil. Whatever it was casting may well have been deadly, but as the fighters tore into it--bold Relic and Nidhogg sinking teeth against Oilstone scales, Vargas's strikes, the Sentinel's magic breaking open the earth and dragging it down--it shuddered and faltered. Jaws gaped, eyes gleaming, and then--made unstable with its powers and the damage done to it--The Black Serpent exploded.

The magic blast that shot outward in all directions was a shockwave, throwing black dust into the air in billowing piles and throwing the Gembounds flying. It would burn--a searing pain that would drain their magicka, leaving them utterly exhausted--but they would live. Then came the fallout: black ropes of shredded, Oiled flesh, the clatter of Oilstone as the scales cascaded around them like Corrupted rain. The Black Serpent's body--what remained of it--hit the ground steaming throughout Draco.

As the dust faded--leaving only gore--it seemed as though a low, malicious laugh reverberated through the cavern. Perhaps it was only the shuddering of the ground...

Yet the theft of their magic, and its subsequent searing burst, left the Gembound present with a new and sinister knowledge.

The knowledge that it was possible to steal the magicka from its source, in order to strengthen themselves. Enchanted items... lost stones... even other Gembound were not safe from this power.

Had this been a battle, or a gift-? A test?

Or all three?

Vargas 11/20	Nidhogg 11/20	The Sentinel 11/20
V-Hiddenite-One 20/20	Ruby-Beta 20/20	Azrael 20/20
Garnet-Epsilon 10/20	V-Labradorite-One 20/20	Rue 11/20
Khavur 20/20	Relic 20/20	Madhukar 12/20

[ ACTION LOG ]

> THE BLACK SERPENT explodes with consumed magic, obliterating its own form and inflicting magic burns on all present, but granting knowledge of a new spell...

> THE BLACK SERPENT takes 1 point of damage each from INFESTED, BLEEDING, and BURNING, for a total of 3 damage
> RELIC attacks THE BLACK SERPENT with PHYSICAL COMBAT, inflicting 18 damage
> RUE misses their attack
> VARGAS uses BERSERK on THE BLACK SERPENT, inflicting 5 damage
> NIDHOGG attacks THE BLACK SERPENT with PHYSICAL COMBAT, inflicting 10 damage
> THE SENTINEL strikes THE BLACK SERPENT with DEFILED EARTH, inflicting 11 damae and trappin git
> THE BLACK SERPENT takes 1 point of damage each from INFESTED, BLEEDING, and BURNING, for a total of 3 damage
> NIDHOGG strikes THE BLACK SERPENT with PHYSICAL COMBAT, inflicting 10 damage
> THE SENTINEL strikes THE BLACK SERPENT with BONESHATTER, inflicting 8 damage
> RUE casts CURSED FLAME, inflicting 10 damage and IGNITING the BLACK SERPENT.
> RELIC attacks THE BLACK SERPENT, inflicting 15 damage.
> NIDHOGG uses BLIND, causing THE BLACK SERPENT to flail wildly for one round.
> VARGAS uses RIP, inflicting 8 damage.
> THE SENTINEL casts RIP, inflicting 15 damage on THE BLACK SERPENT and bleeding it!
> VARGAS uses Berserk, inflicting 10 damage on THE BLACK SERPENT and receiving 1 Point Corruption!
> RUE casts Wither, inflicting 10 damage on THE BLACK SERPENT and infecting it!

> THE BLACK SERPENT explodes with its consumed energy, inflicting painful magical burns on everyone in the room but granting them knowledge of a new spell
> THE BLACK SERPENT lashes out with its sharp-scaled tail, striking Rue, The Sentinel, Nidhogg and Vargas for -9 HP and inflicting one point of Corruption on Nidhogg! RELIC dodges!
> Madhukar is struck by LEECH, inflicting 8 Magicka Damage, 8 HP Damage and one point of Corruption!
> THE BLACK SERPENT strikes at Nidhogg, who dodges!
> THE BLACK SERPENT strikes Garnet-Epsilon for 10 damage!
> THE BLACK SERPENT emerges, and begins attacking!

- THE LEVIATHAN -

Vargas blinked up from the rock.

He'd been thrown--when had that happened?--and could feel the immensity of the drain upon his power. With scrambling intensity of purpose he pushed up, claws scrabbling at the rock, but-... The Black Serpent was nowhere to be found.

He heard that last laugh, felt the fade of new magic, and sighed. A test. The thought was bitterly irritated. All things were tests; he knew as much, but the Creator was as likely to kill them on a whim as to reward them.

For a beast of Chaos I like things a little too ordered, he thought, with some annoyance.

There was some faint, lingering sense of awe, there, too. It might have been stronger--might have been near-worship--in cycles past, but this wasn't cycles past and Vargas simply looked around.

"If any of you are dying, tell me. Wounded? Rest," he added, a barked command. He'd watch over them as best he could; his power could allow him to stay awake for a little while. But... not long, he could feel. Already his body was slipping into a dozing state.

He grunted, sitting down where he'd stood. A brief test of the new magic--not use, but a sort of feeling it out--told him that here was a power that could be used to kill unwanted stones, or to sap magic to strengthen his own. It wasn't something that he could immediately think of much use for, but it was a power he hadn't held before, and he made note of it nonetheless.

Vargas tucked this thought aside, and then set himself to watching over the Forge who were here for as long as he could stay awake.