>>161501
"Wait, I thought that Pacts involved... you know."

"They do. And, as an Intellectual Succubi, I do not steal souls during that act. Not right now, though... I must tell you what I'vbe been meaning to."
she clears her throat.
"Okay. In the beggining, and in the end, there is a king. Great, powerful, intelligent, wise, so on, so forth. He holds, when his reign begins, three artifacts. The Scepter of The Final King, The Book of Final Deeds, and The Sword of Final Bloodshed. Are you with me so far?"

>>161508
Yes.

Also, Rosie... did you wind up doing anything with J after you turned us off? I mean, are you still saving yourself?

>>161509
I, ah... Well... I'm uncertain where the line is drawn in that situation, but, uh, yes?

"Yes."

"Okay. These three artifacts are usually never available on the material plane. However... Should one avert the end of the world often enough, things begin to destabilize. The idea is... once the world is unstable, the artifacts slip into the materium, and come up for grabs. Individually, they are extremely powerful magical items, similar in power to a God's Raiment, alone. But together, they can make the one weilding it into a Gigas."
"Gigas?"
"Elfin for 'those who came before'." she says. "Before, in this case, the Gods. This is what the Master seeks."

>>161513
Hoo boy. So *those* are the consequences that the Seducer leader was talking about.

...so why did the Master authorize our summon this time? Was he planning on letting us save the world from the invasion, only to snatch up the three Big Items as they spawned? If so, he's gonna be so disappointed.

Now, if something existed before Gods... I wonder, how powerful would they be? Strong enough to reshape the entire universe? Could they push back Entropy itself, and ensure that Death is not, in fact, inevitable for all things? That would break such a fundamental rule... I wonder if it's even a good idea to consider it.

>>161531
"Master doesn't like to talk much about his plans. I've only managed to peice what I have together from various myraid tribes and the work of Yorick."

She floats up and reclines in the air.
"Whatever happens, you must be certain of one thing: Don't give those artifacts to anyone but those you are absolutely certain you can trust. But that goes without saying, right?"
She lets out a sigh.
"Your world is so boring." she says quietly. "So structured and orderly... it almost hurts!"

>>161541
I dunno what to say to that.

Are there some areas around more attuned to Chaos? I assume there must be, in order for Weird trancing to be possible.

>>161546
Well, yes, there is the Weird, likepast the Magicwall.
"Well, it's unlikely we'll have any idea where the Scepter or Sword will be. So we have a lot of spare time."

>>161567
Well, if the demons even get one of those items, we're going to have a NASTY fight on our hands. I wish we could actually use the book. Is there really no way to translate it?

Well, now that the book is safe how about we go back to the library to check on Danny, and ask more about the three items since he seems to know about them too.

Hey, where's J right now?

>>161588
"I think I should head to the library."
"Alright~. If you need me, just tap the ring on something."
She vanishes.

I make my way into the library, which is teeming with earth elementals sorting shelves while Danny, his arms unaltered, walks among and directs them.

>>161668
Ask him what he knows about the book, and the other items related to it.

>>161723
We hug tightly, and after some pleasantries, we discuss the book.

"The book is a powerful magical artifact that is said to herald the end of times. However, it's main ability is...Words written in it become true."
I blink.
"Th-that's... Terrifying."
"Yes, it is. But seeing as Elfin is a dead language, I only know the effects of a few phrases..."

but... since the forest is restored the elves could come back...

Does she know how to say "work with all languages"

>>161735
"Only if they are needed." he says. "And... There is a cost."
"A cost?"
"The more that is changed with the book... the deeper you pull at the threads of reality... the greater you risk yourself. And there's really no way to tell how deep even a simple change can run, since the book veiws the world from the perspective of the end. Please, promise me, Rosie... that you will never use that artifact." he looks down at his arms. "I... I tried it myself." he holds up his hands of stone. "The price..." he shakes his head. "Nevermind that. Promise me, Rosie. Please!"

>>162458
Fine, fine. Well, unless we have absolutely no other option, of course. It's a very last resort.

>>162472
He nods.
"I just... It was my only chance, too. I knew... what they were coming for. I took away their chance to get it. And now... It took the only thing I wanted."
he sighs.
"Come with me. We need to train." he states, standing up. "I won't let these monsters hurt you. I may not be able to feel you in my arms, but I sure as h-h-hell can feel it when I'm going to grind them into the dust."
Something about Danny... he's... different. I can't tell how as he walks away, down the stairs.

>>162484
I think when he used the book, it changed him. It did more than just give him power and take away his arms.

Or it could just be a psychological effect from losing his arms and gaining power. Hard to say.

>>162487
I follow him down, and he reaches, after what feels like ten minutes going down, a huge cavern.

He's, ah, sh-shirtless, holding a long stone staff.
"The Earth is patient. The Earth is strong. The Earth forgives. The Earth remembers." he says, inhaling deeply between each statement, and I notice his pants are different, loose, but a little shorter than normal, over bare feet.

"Are you prepared, R-r-r-rosie?" he asks. "This will be very painful. I will n-n-not be easy on y-you."

>>162493
Center yourself. Prepare. Um, Earth form?

>>162498
"Alri-"
The fist slams into my gut almost before I can see him move.
"The falling landslide is faster than any horse." he says as I rocket into the air. I throw out a pulse of heat to stabilize, landing on the ground shakily. I can barely breathe... and the earth shudders, and I fall inside to my knees.
I look up, to see him rushing at me...

!!!
His chest!
There's a red crystal... in his chest!

>>162605
Guard yourself as best you can and yell at him to stop! Possibly activate your pact with Ante, so you can use fire to blast yourself through the earth and stuff. Also scold him for being a dumbass and thinking he could handle a soulstone. Send us to him, we'll see if we can give that demon some trouble.

Now slap the dumbass.

"DA-"
I throw up a wall of thermic energy and the stone shines as he simply plows through several hundred degrees, not even caring as his pants are scorched and ashed, his fist slamming into my guard and sending me sliding back.

Oh, for fuck's sake...

Ante rises out of the ring.

"Fio!"
Danny stops short, confused. "I told you, you're too young for this! What if you damage the poor man's mind on accident?"
she sighs.
"Your name is Danny, right?"
Nod. "You shouldn't grab soulstones and shove them into your body like that. When we're broken, we're hungry. And we hurt people when we're like that."
"O-oh..."
"You see, I can make a deal with Rosie here, and help her out when she needs it, without hurting her, but Gerald there is more likely to do harm than good."

I get up shakily.
"You want to protect me, right?"
He nods again.
I step closer, placing my hands gently on his chest.
"Danny, you're already strong enough. You always were. I always trusted you, mmore than anyone, to keep me safe from pain and anger... and a lot of things. You've saved me more than I can count, Danny."
He looks down at me, uncertain. "But... I'm always..."
"Maybe you're always in this library... but you'll always be with me no matter where I go." I smile, and he looks at me, puzzled.
"You're in my heart, doofus." I say with a chuckle and kiss his lips.

The soulstone pops off his chest and falls to the ground, Ante floating around us with a giggle.

>>162640
He could have easily gotten someone killed.

Okay now scold him about using the demon's power while training. He could've killed you!

>>162663
"You could have hurt me..."
"That was how I was trained." he says quietly. "I told you it was going to hurt, Rosie."
"But I could ha-"
"Do you not trust me?" he asks. "It won't be much different without the stone, but I'll stop before I do anything permanent."
"Permanent?!"
"Yes. That's a lot more forgiving than m-m-m-my... than..." he looks away. "Than the demons will be." he sighs. "We have a lot of space to cover and not a lot of time. You're pretty much restricted to fast and hard."

>>162664
Well. Fine.

Tell ya what, Rosie. Restrict yourself to only Earth.

>>162665
Well, I suppose...

If
I were to obtain Harumda's soulstone and Ante, I... technically... could Pact with both. Harumda's a demon of the earth. Though he's rather limited in outward manifestations, which is my specialty...

"So... are you ready?"

"Uh... you might... want new pants."

"Hu-OH. I, ah... er, right, j-j-j-just a m-m-m.... second... Er...."

I palm my face as he scampers away.

>>162668
Hmm. Well, wanna touch the soulstone to have a brief chat with Fio?

>>162685
I reach down and pick up the stone.

[... fury ... power ... rage ...]

"Don't bother." Ante says. "He won't be coherent until he's eaten the soul of his host."
"?"
"Well... it's like this... Demons are souls. We techinically don't have bodies of our own. Being immortal souls, we cannot die in a traditional sense. Rather, we are damaged.We lose the ability to maintain our self-image, coalescing into our purest, simplest form possible: A stone. We then wait for a host. Upon meeting a host, we repair our soul with bits and peices of theirs. Normally, we're supposed to do this slowly, but some tribes, and some weak demons, cannot control their hunger... others simply don't care."

>>163123
Ask her what she thinks Harumda would do.

>>163128
"Hmmmm. He's a Lord. Even damaged, he'd be lucid. He'd probably demand you get in a lot of fights, though, or want to be placed in someone who does."

>>163154
That's not unreasonable, I suppose.

"So what happens after the demon's finished healing their own soul?"

>>163234
"Well, they either keep the body, or they pop off and head home." Ante sighs. "Enough stick around that we get a reputation as impossible to be rid of. I have a deal with Rache, she lets me use the body, and I keep her alive indefinitely."

>>163247
"Aaaanyway, I'm sure it'll all work out in the end. Don't think too hard on it!"

Danny returns, dressed the same as before. I'd never really had a chance to see him without a shirt or sweater and... Well.

Let's just say his focus probably has a lot of advantages, and I wonder why more ladies don't visit the library. I... I mean god damn.

"Are you alright?" he asks, stepping closer. "Y-y-you're flushed."

this is one of those times i think honesty is good. just let him know you were thinking about his hunky muscles.

>>163325
Well why hadn't you noticed before? Does he usually wear baggy clothes?

"Y-you look good, Danny."
"I... uh, I do?"
"Mmhm."
"O-oh...."

Haha! Now he's blushing too!
"Anyway, it's time we get to training, right?"
"Right." he takes a deep breath.

We both stand in defensive positions, as I let Earth flood my body.

okay, earth is the slow but powerful element. your attack and defense should be much higher, while your speed plummets. don't try to dodge, brace for any hits and counter attack.

>>163340
Do you know how earthquakes happen? One giant slab of rock tries to slide past another, but the friction involved stops it. The pressure builds up gradually, until finally it all moves at once.

Can you try to replicate that kind of thing?

>>163389
!

I wait for him to attack, then block the blow of the staff.

I can feel it running through me. The power of his attack, the blow that would have broken bones had I not been prepared. My guard working against his pushing blow. He pushes harder. I push back.

Finally...

New Technique:
Kinesis - Stone - Body: QUAKE COUNTER

The air warps around him, the pressure we'd made redirected suddenly, warping back on him and sending him flying, a look of surprise on his face as stone slabs retract into my skin. He lands with a skid.
"How..."
I smile, launching at him, but he bats away blow after blow, leaping and dodging away from the spires of rick I launch from below him, until I manage to disarm his long staff. He leaps away again, both of us panting.

>>163404
And just like that, he rushes me again, his fist slamming into my gut before my gaurd up.

But I don't go flying. Coughing, I fall to my knees, trying to regain a hold of my breath. Eventually, I fall to the ground, rolling onto my back, before I can breathe freely.

"You're dead." Danny says bluntly, looking away distantly. "In any normal fight, you'd be dead. Gaurd your chin and gut more efficiently."

He helps me up.
"Again?"

>>163580
Yes.

Hrm, if this is more general combat training than Earth technique usage, maybe we should try putting in fire usage some more. Is it at all possible to have Earth form and Fire form active at the same time to get some kind of magma thing? Like, for extra flexibility or fluid reaction?

>>163581
"H-how is this Earth training?"
"That impact thing. Did you know how to do it before?"
"N-no..."
"That's how. You'll learn more in combat than anywhere else, a-a-and especially when using Earth." he says, walking over to his staff. After a moment, he smiles, tossing it away.
He slides smoothly into a low stance, his hands touching the earth with only the tips of his fingers.

>>163583
That gives me an idea. How about a shockwave that travels through the ground? Or you could just use that quake power on the earth instead of your body.

>>163584
I take a step forward.

Kinetics - Earth - Wood: STOMP

The ripple moves out with a soft tone, then cracks appear, and I'm standing in a crater.
Danny looks down and leaps away rather nimbly, before a large hump of rock simply appears where he stood before. He lands closer to me, and throws his fist in a wide arc.

I catch it on my arm easily, an-

!?!

Every bit of metal in my body flies out from me, plinging on the walls, the metal gaurd on my shoulder slamming into a wall, the buttons on my shirt and pants zipping away.

Reflexively, I cover myself, holding up my clothes, and another blow lands in my gut heavily.

I fall again.

"But... you... magnetism?"
"Nope." he holds out his hand. "No such thing as perfectly pure metal."

>>163615
Unless of course... such powers were used in it's forging hmmm?

well, i would argue that The One Ring, forged in the fires of Mount Doom was pure.

as in you can FORCE it pure by using magic to cheat.

but yes, he yanked the impurities inside the metal. Toph, a blind earth master we know of, escaped a solid metal box by finding the impurites and moving them to bend the metal.

>>163615
Well, you know the best way to learn not to reflexively cover yourself. Get used to the idea of fighting exposed.

How much finesse can you put into controlling Earth? Can you say, create something to fight for you? A pillar with arms on it?

>>163620
I can create small weapons, use the earth to form projectiles and sudden growths... but nothing like an animated golem or the like.

>>163619
aaaaa noooo

N-not with D-d-danny!

>>163634
let's say a demon ambushes you while you wre about to take a bath and you start fighting. it blows through the wall and danny is standing right there, and you are naked, and a demon is charging at you.

ability to ignore your discomfort is important. of course until your 'first time' it's a rather hard to overcome reaction so i will forgive you.
after that though you are going to have to be able to fight buck naked through a town square.

>>163642
>after that though you are going to have to be able to fight buck naked through a town square.

aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa

>>163634
Discomfort is understandable!

Alright, how about... making the earth push you along? To assist movement. Like, move the rock you're standing on so that it moves in the direction you're trying to run in. Keep in mind you will need to move your center of gravity further ahead to compensate for the extra acceleration.

>>163642
I... I know, it's just...
He helps me up and hands me a new outfit, this one without the buttons, being a simple tunic and sweatpants.

He makes another stance, facing me with happiness in his eyes.

normal reaction. until you are actually confronted with such a situation it will keep happening.

for now let's just work on not freezing up in front of danny. he likes you, you like him, and he is also not expecting you to keep fighting, perfect time for a sucker punch.

>>163649
Hurm... yeah, I can try that.

Kinetics - Earth - Wood: Earthsurf

At first I try to use it to augment my own speed, but soon I realize I can move much more smoothly if I plant my feet and ride it, zooming fo-

Danny taps his foot, and the board stops.

I don't.

I fly towards him, and this time I gaurd my gut in time, landing beside him. His hands (strong, gentle, powerful, precise hands) grab my arms, and in return, I grab his.

He chuckles and tosses me over his shoulder, but I grab it just i-

that'snothisshoulder.

With a loud tear, I keep flying, rolling over the stone.

I'm holding half a pair of pants.

oh, now a lesson is fighting while your ENEMY is nude. this day is just full of lessons.
keep fighting.

This feels familiar. It's like Hattori and Ella sparring all over again. Except, you know... Probably not manipulated on purpose by a happy Goddess. Probably.

Anyway, the whole thing of him being able to stop it is why I suggested just using it to augment your speed. It's for a quick dash, not a smooth charge. But you know, the earth surf is nice too for travel.

Next... When you go into Earth form, can you modify your body at all? Like, use alchemy to make your body move faster, or bigger, or launch bits of yourself at the enemy? Or is the form not pure enough for that?

>>163670
>Or is the form not pure enough for that?
Yeah. I've seen Pacted folks able to make themselves into maelstroms of elemental energy. I can almost do it with Fire, but it means losing a little bit... okay, a lot of sanity for a little while, and then passing out.

>>163665
Wait wh-
ohgodheis.

aaaaaaaaaa

QUICK!! punch him in the face or something! you have to keep moving!

>>163673
Huh. Oh well. How about a rock shell for armor, so that you can manipulate that for similar effects?

>>163673
Also what's wrong, can't you stand the sight of his BUNS OF STEEL? Rock? I dunno.

>>163681
Maybe...

Kinesis - Earth - Wood: Shell

A solid shell of stone appears around me, up to my neck, And I fling peices of it at h-h-him. He chuckles as they bounce off, and rushes me, blasting through the shell. I manage to trip him, and after several rolls and reversals, end up pinning him to the ground, panting.

don't look down.

>>163684
Sounds like you've got him right where you want him. Hahaha but seriously, why does this keep happening? We're supposed to be training in combat technique, not in ways to remove your opponent's clothing.

Well, get him in a submission hold. See if you can get him to tap out.

>>163688
I reach past his neck, reaching into the earth and pulling out a short blade. I place it against his neck.
"You're dead."
I smile and toss it away.

"What do you win?" he asks with an impish smile.

>>163691
Wh.. wha? Danny's making moves on you?! Looking back on it, he's been making moves on you since he threw the staff away. He probably let you tear his pants off on purpose.

I'm a little shocked. If something would sum up my feelings on the matter it would be "Wha... Danny!"

if you want very, very, very cheesy then say 'your heart'

He... what...

My face flushes instantly. I didn't think he... what...

Ante giggles in my mind.
Goodness, you are both so adorable.

He smiles, kissing my cheek, and putting on a robe of...Sand?

"I guess some other time." he says. "You can come out now, J."
"Awww, but it was getting good!"
The air snaps, and she steps out of a pocket of wind, stretching. "It's hard to keep a veil like that going for long anyway..."

>>163966
Uh, okay what just happened?

>>163966
Send us to J, please.

>>163968
"Wh-what?!"

"I wanted to see what you thought. Without magical hullabaloo or stress or anything like that. I told Danny to move on you... so I could see who you would pick."

I flush.

"And, as I thought... You remain indecisive. Isn't that kinda the point of summoning those lecherous idiots?"

"Hey!"

She smiles, catlike.

"Don't worry, Rosie. I like them. But remember, someday, you'll have to pick. I'll be happy to be your mistress... but I don't want to be tugged around along with Danny here. And I'm certain if he wasn't coming down from windcrafted impulsivity, he'd feel the same way."

>>163985
Honestly I like J more. It's just... I didn't know how to turn down Danny without looking like we were stringing him along for no reason.

He *is* cute, and strong, and noble and smart, but J is just... more fun, I guess.

Do you think it would work if we took him on that date, without committing?

>>163996
It might.
"Danny... I forgot all about that date..."
"N-n-no, that's fine." he manages, his face going pale. "I, uh, I have work to do." he looks around, then scampers away.

"That's odd." J mumbles. "Why... would he lie?"

>>164007
Well, you could send us to him. We can... sometimes keep secrets? At any rate we could find out.

%$#$^^#%^$
She can't know.

I can't tell her!

I won't... I won't!

>>164028
What? You can't leave the library?

lies beget lies, remember, we are watching. if you wont tell her willingly, then we will think of a way to pry it out of you.

>>164031
I...

Look, I just can't. It's not that I don't... I don't like... don't love her, or... or anything.


I just can't leave. And I certainly cannot say why. Alright?

Please distinguish "cannot" with "really really really don't want to".

>>164037
You have Agoraphobia? Fear of open spaces?

Please! Please don't make me tell you. I cannot leave. That's all I can say.

your soul is bound to the library and leaving will kill you?

Ahh, if you say so.

Just send us back to Rosie I guess.

>>164062
#^@^%$$^%$#
So... what is it? Does... he not want to be with me anymore?

>>164067
Nope, that's not it. He just can't leave the library. He can't say why. I'm guessing it's some kind of magical contract. Probably in place from his previous teacher, considering how he referred to them.

But that's conjecture, and at any rate we're kindof shoving our nose in somewhere we shouldn't be.

>>164071
A...Ah.
J looks concerned.
"I always thought he had some sort of phobia or something." she says. "He's lived here since his father was alive."

ah, yeah. good chance he dies if he leaves. or demons pop out of nowhere and take his soul, or something equally bad.

It's also possible that his presence here keeps something important safe. Rather than a magical contract between him and his teacher... Perhaps, on his deathbed his father made him promise never to leave the library.

Ask J about Danny's father.

>>164306
"Alsin the Red-eyed." she replies. "I'm certain you've heard of him.

Red-eye...
The greatest demonic alchemist, and the last. You see, Demons usually carry a bond with a single element, greater and more feirce than any Alchemist could ever hope to attain. Alsin tried to increase his power by forcibly bonding a demon under his will, and the scary part? He managed to succeed. You could almost say he possessed it, not the other way around, eating its very soul for incredible power.He taught his son earthen alchemy, but passed away before he could hand over the secret to 'Delchemy', as he called it. It was said he was a strong man, quick to anger and abuse...

I can only wonder the horrors Danny went through as his son.

>>164349
Oh, if he's that cruel, perhaps his father severely punished him for trying to leave the library. So, he's been basically mentally conditioned to stay. That would be pretty embarrassing to admit...

>>164355
That... might be it. But I don't want to force him...
J sighs.
"I get the feeling I've messed up again..."

>>164388
Hrm? Ask her what she means.

>>164391
"I should have told you straight out rather than... 'testing' you. I'm sorry."
"It's alright."

>>164395
J shrugs, hugging me tightly. "I'm sure we'll fi-"
The door slams open.
A brown Seeran I don't recognize looks into the room imperiously.
"Rosie Delarosa?"
"Y-yes?"
"Your grandfather has asked for your prescence. He is dying."

FFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFF