Briar's mind surely didn't struggle with Zendreyu's perception of him - if anything, he hadn't even registered the man mistaking him for a girl (t'wouldn't be the first time, nor did it ever bother him) - but he couldn't help a full, free laugh in reply at the old warrior's grave apology. "Wha?" He managed in his giggles, breaking through his nerves on every scamper of little feet away from the knight's attention and closer to the mage's preparation. He tilted his head back, sputtering out another laugh - singing like a bell - then shook it, glancing back at the two while he skirted around the wind wall. "Don't ya' worry about that, pally! We've plum got other things to wo - WORRY! - abouts!"

His voice cracked and elevated in pitch in the sudden response from the enemy mage phantasm, a sphere of magic crashing into his sunflower spell and shattering it like dissolving sugar - cracks to form then melt within the instant, leaving him without the charm on his collar and a narrow of his eyes on his expression. He flexed his hands around his staff, continuing to charge forward with what could be considered - at best - a yelp of battle, if not a warcry. "A-A large friend, you're sayin'? Well, golly goodness! Let's see if'n I can't take some weight off you all, then! I might not be so large in stature, m'self ..." An unsteady gulp of breath, kicking up dirt off legs that began to burn and throttle as his run turned into a skip into a prance on uneven feet until he had closed a close enough distance behind the phantom. "But I'm a mage of Blue Pegasus!"

He could feel the thrum of heat in his aching arms, the engine of blood his legs worked to a screech pounding along his limbs and inside his head. He felt woozy - a fair amount more physical exertion than the young supportive magi was used to - and he took the briefest of seconds to take stock of his allies and the noticeable shift in the battlefield while mana pulsed with every beat of his heart. It flowed off him in little waves and the unfocused seals that'd search for a focus around him, sputtering to life and transitioning into the next until he found the tie he needed for his magic and the intent to pull it off.

He could hear the waning wind that held them in their arena began to fade out - tousling his hair alight with his spellwork - and the shouts from the men & their fights, the crash of fist to metal and surging steel. He emptied it from his thoughts. Entrusted the fight to Vesper and Zendreyu both while he did what he figured he could - what he knew he could. He closed his eyes, leaning forward with his foot shifting back to prepare for one more lunge and his point of interest to narrow with every new seal he'd cast in its search through his magic. He just had to find the root. He had to pull it like a weed.

That's how it functioned for him. Dig your mana like a plot of land and plant something new to sprout from your heart - your imagination - as magic was what you could envision far more than bound by any law. He'd remember back to the garden on his windowsil and the flowers that crept up its pane faster than he could handle; the orchids that'd bloom at a rate greater than you could prune, and he clutched that memory in his heart, his mind, and his sphere of influence.

Green-blue light flared around him as he closed the remaining short distance with a yowl, clenching his eyes tighter with even the touch - not needing an impact, but the barest of contact - of his staff against the enemy mage's chest: flaring a final, larger magic seal that sparks with his efforts. "Your name is ...!!" This was only possible with their help and the opening they had made for him, and he wanted to return their hard work in kind. Maybe he couldn't beat this by himself - maybe he couldn't imagine a world where he did this alone - but he didn't need to, because he had --

He shoves a little closer with a notch of his shoulder, flowers bursting from the spell's circle and hurtling the mage in the opposite direction - towards both of his friends and the remaining knight. -- Trust. That's all his magic was, that's all it'd ever be. "Orchid!" Came his finishing yell, wind and purple petals displaced from the impact zone as he sent the phantasm to its galleys. "Fff-foooooooore!!"

Ehe?

[ 787 | Learning Name of Orchid
(30% WC Reduction from INT - 525 req) ]

Actions:

Gear & Stats:

A clang of metal hits the floor as a shot of pain throbs on the young wolf's shoulder. The tide of battle was turning, an ebb and flow brought about through raw tenacity as knights crumble with the emergence of dawn. That's what this was. A dawn of a new chapter with only a taste of what was to come and Vesper begins to vibrate with excitement. It was fun. Being a mage was fun! Something in his blood stirs. A primal howl that jostles his body to keep moving forward, to keep fighting as if the entire world depended on it. The best feeling of all is knowing that he's not alone in that endeavor. Supported and relied upon in equal measure by his companions as they, too, fought to triumph over the dragon queen's ordeal. They would have to be mightier than common knight and foot soldiers to venture forth into the abyss and mightier still to survive it. Vesper understood this simple fact and his heart bursts with each beat in voracious anticipation.

There was something endearing about the older man so earnestly apologizing for grievances Vesper himself was surely guilty of as well. Vesper was a novice through and through, bumbling through combat and trying his best to do what he can in the moment. If anything his own lack of experience should be worth apologizing for. But that inexperience is also the cause for this strenuous training. "Don't worry about it, sir~! We're just tryin' our best, too." A ragged response as he wipes his brow before continuing, "And don't worry I made the same mistake!" A small giggle as a hand raises to conceal his smile.

Vesper was not completely blinded by his newly discovered lust for battle, a quick turn of his head to see Mr. Zendreyu had also defeated the knight standing in his way and a spark of joy pulses his heart. A warm sentiment swelling inside that makes him want to tear up. The tiny amount of support he was able to give through his culinary passion - to be of use to someone, no matter how insignificant it may have been was a dream come true. "Nice one, Mister! Wait how large are we ta-" before he could even finish his question the answer bursts through the whirlwind and moves to obey its master's command. Briar should be safe. Briar will be safe thanks to Magnus. He knew that he had to trust in his comrades and instead looked for what he could do in this moment.

Briar was determined to do something with his scurrying and scampering, a howl, a roar from something delicate like flowers concealing its thorns and vines. Vesper's feet kick off the ground, a play with intent left unspoken between the two, knowing full well he was supporting the group again by putting himself at risk. The little rabbit does a hop-skip, staff adorned with a magic circle that launches and propels the mage into the air, trailing through the air towards the duo embroiled with the knight. "Ah! Mr. Zendreyu! I'm gonna leave this guy to you!" He shouts back, weaving around with a lunge and  running to meet the mage's landing spot.

"Fore? Huh...? Like... golf?" Vesper can't resist giggling - a reprieve from the harsh ether to bask in soft silliness before returning to the task at hand.

Vesper coils his arms back, rotating his shoulders back - both outstretched, agape like a hungry jaw ready to consume its prey. A fierce step forward, like a spring - a lunge and a shriek of iron clamping down on its mark. A punch in the shape of wolf fangs.

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Spoiler:

A large gleaming white lion with massive wings settled down 5 meters behind Zendreyu just in front of Briar as he roared to let Zendreyu know that he was there and he was ready. Muscles like coiled steel bunched together as Magnus crouched in a state where he could launch himself in almost any direction within 10 meters of Zendreyu effortlessly to lash out at any threat with his claws. He spoke clearly to Briar as he crouched. "Either jump on my back  and hang on or stay close. Zendreyu wants you to be safe so safe you will be."

Zendreyu nodded to Vesper and gave a thumbs up to Magnus, Zendreyu crackled with Vesper's strength buff as he focused on the sword wielding knight now. Zendreyu stepped towards the swordsman carefully. Contrary to common knowledge swords are more deadly than axes despite the weight behind the axe. While Zendreyu approached the last knight his inner healing spell was used. Once Zendreyu was certain he was in range of the sword knight he would attack the summoned knight with the steel fist.

Gear & Stats:

Actions:

WC: 182

It seemed the exercise was about to reach its conclusion. With the sword-wielding knight had launched his attack at Zenderyu, the healing spell from his gear had proved suitable for tending to his wounds, not to mention it had aided in shielding him from the blow the sword might had made to his head otherwise! Still, the punch had hit its mark cleanly, eliminating the last of the knights.

Meanwhile, Briar displayed a certain degree of creativity over spell creation and the usage of the positioning, for the sudden knockback from his spell had caught the summon by surprise, sending him reeling several meters backwards, right in the not so gentle greeting from Vesper!

As the mage's body collapsed onto the ground with a heavy thud the sound of clapping resounded through the arena. Ryuko was applauding their victory, her lips curved up into a bright smile.

"Excellent work~ While there are some flaws you'll all need to attend to, they are errors that practice and experience in the field will surely help you overcome. Now for our next trial: You'll be fighting this one."

As she gestured toward the tall armored knight, the knight took a step forward, a hand gripping the hilt of his giant claymore and trailed it along the ground before heaving it onto his back. Just the sheer oppressive aura from the knight was enough that even the fairy among the group nervously fluttered backwards, making it clear the group had signed up for a beating.

"Just kidding~"

The knight turned halfway to face his master, the red gleam in his helmet intensifying. "What? Did you seriously think I'd let you fight them? I think we planned a training camp, not a horrifying traumatizing experience, although training from hell does sometimes count as that."

The knight groaned audibly as Ryuko continued with a soft chime of playfulness in her voice. "The actual reason I called Arawn here is to introduce you all. As I mentioned earlier I am a summoner, and Arawn here will be leading the vanguard during our expedition into the void cavern. If worst comes to worst I'll be calling for additional knights but I'd prefer to use the expedition as a learning experience for you all first and foremost."

A smile lingered on her lips as Ryuko watched Yu in the back grumbling something about irresponsible dragons. "Now~ Now~ How about the three of you go ahead and take a shower and rest up a bit? Afterwards I arranged us a barbeque on the way back to Hargeon. There we can discuss things a bit further and experience some good old team bonding! Yay~"

Ryuko exclaimed playfully as she watched the group. "But again: good work on today's exercise~ Ves, Zen, you both can take your armor to the smith here for repairs after you're done showering."

And with that all said and done the dragon girl watched as she prepared for everyone to leave if no more questions were left to be asked.

She had been quite pleased by the results today. Although the trio had performed far better than she had initially anticipated, she couldn't let it show. If she went too easy on them or complimented them too much they might get cocky or arrogant, believing the void to be a place that they could cruise through like some sort of holiday vacation.

But the void was far more dangerous than that. She knew all too well the dangerous nature of the void and the powerful secrets it held. Nay, if she wanted to ensure everyone's survival she needed to have them aspire to become even stronger than today. All so that they could survive tomorrow and return home with tales of their exploits to their friends and loved ones.

----

Feel free to make your exits when wanted, also of note: please let me know in your exit post what SP you want your rewards in when I make the submission post, in terms of the social you all would qualify for up to +2 ranks above your current rank, so make sure to count your total WC to make sure if you reach the amount necessary.

See you all in the next topic~

Briar was many things - astute in his own way, kindhearted, even surprisingly ambitious with his light and downright whimsical approach to problems; he was all of those things and more, of course, and most nominally he was a child. When a giant of a lion with gleaming, stone-carved skin and a wingspan that rivaled the full height of his body: by golly, he was stricken. He almost dropped his staff in the awe of the moment, staring up at Magnus with wide eyes and a gasp from his mouth accompanied by quieter panting as he struggled to catch his breath (from a fight to a surprise, he wasn't given much chance to breathe).

"G-gee whiz," the boy sputters, loosely grasping oak and registering only the sound of the silence in the end of their fight in the near distance. Vesper had jumped into action without Briar needing to clarify his intent, even with his ill-thought out and overall goofy use of 'fore', and Briar felt a warmth in his heart pound with its beats through his aching limbs. They really were such good friends! Phenomenal pals, the two! Why, by George, they were about as bonded as any two normal buds that were boys could be!

He wasn't about to turn down the lion's order, not least of all when it leveled that heavy baritone on him. He'd hop to it and climb atop its back with a giddy little giggle and a squirm as he found himself both amazed and confused on how to proceed, planting his staff with the shake of his tired legs and burying himself against the great beast. "Goodness, you must be the big'un I was told to expect. My, you're a neat fella! Thanks so much for the help - I think we're all good from here, I do!"

He'd beam, face lined with jubilant exhaustion, and all but balk when Ryuko tried to tease them with the imposition of her scary friend - even miss Yu had to prepare herself for the altercation, causing his nerves to flare anew and bring his legs in a little closer in a defensive position. Still, he grabbed his gnarled oak and lifted it somewhat, his eyes narrowing in concentration even with the wobble of his mouth's line. He would fight more. He'd do it for Ves and mister Zendreyu, and to better prove himself to miss Ryuko and all her hard work for them. His hand shook and he stilled it, starting to flare his mana for his first defensive spell ...

Only for Ryuko to wave it away as a joke, slumping him over as all tense energy left his muscles and he collapsed against Magnus with a loud sigh. "Ah, boy ..." He muttered, even his laugh drained of strength. "N-nice to meet you, sir Arawn. Alrighty ... I look forward to working with you!" He managed to lift his head, flashing a grin and a thumbs up at the group in total. He'd tilt to smile at Vesper, catching the light of a waning sun to frame his hair in its breeze. "Good work, everyone!!"

The hardest work was yet to come - but today was a worthwhile exercise he could be proud of, and he just hoped his allies were equally proud of themselves. He knew he'd be feeling this in the morning ... and he knew he'd put even more effort into their real venture. He was ready for the dungeon. He had a lot to learn, a lot to experience, and he was going to face it all.

"Yippee!"

[ exit ]
[ totaling out: 5071 WC | Claiming A-Rank Social (+50% from WC | +30% Character Bonus | +20% Necklace)
500000j / 13000 EXP / +4 CON, +3 END / 400 Fame ]

Zendreyu nodded to Ryuko after releasing his drive to keep fighting. As of the initial remark from Ryuko Zendreyu had believed that Lord Arawn would be something of the boss fight like he had imagined. Luckily for everyone there he was not. With a hint of disappointment in himself and the familiar ache of muscles, bones, and pride, Zendreyu made his way to the blacksmith as he would need to face extreme punishment to repair his armor without blood magic. Zendreyu's armor was bonded to his body and could not be removed in a traditional manner. This would be another necessary experience especially since Zendreyu needed to master the forge to continue his own self-improvement efforts.
“Thank you for the training session Mistress Ryuko, Lady Fei Yu, and Lord Arawn. I will make my best efforts to ensure a successful raid of any dungeons and make sure that everyone survives. You have my word and my life on this matter.”
Zendreyu gave the three of them a formal half bow before making his way towards exit of the coliseum area with Magnus at his side whom also nodded to the 3 organizers of this event.
Magnus then spoke to Zendreyu directly, “I told you that should have just brought me along, but Noooo you just had to relive your military solo days.”
Zendreyu just smirked as he managed his pain with a practiced motion and mentality, “At no time was I ever truly alone during military service outside of meals and bathroom breaks and even then someone was nearby. I have to be able to be effective with or without you. You are right though. I DO NEED to keep you nearby for emergencies I can’t detect.”

With matching grins both old warriors walked out of the coliseum to pursue repairs and other necessities.

WC: 305

Exiting Topic:

total WC: 2,236

[Claiming B-Rank Social (+30% for Character bonus Program)
182 + 280 + 300 + 230 + 256 + 330 + 353+ 305 = 2236

Claiming B-Rank Social
Claiming Character Bonus: (+30%) Jewels/EXP
Minimum Words: 1500 -> Total WC: 2236
Basic Rewards:
5 SP -> 5 Endurance
300 Fame
100,000 Jewels  -> 130,000
7500 Experience -> 9750

130,000 J / 9750 EXP / +5 END / 300 Fame ]

Every breath a labor and even still he managed to howl, fangs and arms alike aching with an intoxicated craving for more if the conflict had not settled into ash. A quick turn of his head to confirm his confidence was well placed in the veteran soldier standing triumphant over the knight. "We did it~!" The tenacity and weight dissipates from his shoulders and he's left with only pure elation with a step toward Briar to praise him for his brilliant maneuvering of the battlefield and usage of non-offensive spells to assist his team. A single step that freezes in place as the dragon bellowed out that the training was yet to conclude.

Vesper's eyes ignited in a hungering fire once more, but even he understood the gap between the figure approaching and the puppets that had bested. They stood no chance, but he wouldn't go down without fighting. Heroes never back down - never give up, fighting against all odds to do what is right. All the tension is swept away with a whimsical back and forth between the knight with a terrifyingly intense aura and Ryuko. "Oh, thank goodness! We would have been absolutely trounced if we had to fight that guy." His shoulders slump and he tamps ever closer to be with his friend riding atop the gigantic lion. A pat on its head would be a bit disrespectful for such a majestic best, no? Vesper does it anyway~ "Heheh, look at you up there Bri~! Not used to having to look up to see you." A hand raises with a curled finger grazing his lip to conceal a teasing little smirk. "You were really brilliant out there, little bunny. Hopping around and keeping them busy all the while supporting us. Thank you~" He flashes a bright eyes toothy smile up at the boy before helping him down.

His attention turns back to Ryuko, leaning on Briar for a small reprieve as the exhaustion takes its toll. He nods along to her instructions filled with a sparking eagerness to continue growing. To be a flower that could bloom as beautifully as the ones that adorned his collar throughout this endeavor, with the intimate warmth they exuded. "I'll take my armor to be repaired and then I'll meet you at the barbeque, alright?"

Vesper approaches Ryuko, Arawn and Yu with the little energy that remains and hunches over into an unsteady bow. "Thank you for the training Miss Ryuko~ It was a pure delight and I'm incredibly grateful for the opportunity to work alongside you again." He raises his head and smiles at the woman before turning to Zendreyu and Magnus with a similar bow. "Thank you for being so resolute in the face of overwhelming numbers and protecting us while we found our footing." An exhausted exhalation as he shoots a playful wink directed at Briar and heads out to repair his shirt, looking forward to another adventure.

[exit]
[total wc: 4300 WC | Claiming A-Rank Social (+50% from WC | +30% Character Bonus | +20% Necklace)
500000j / 13000 EXP / +7 INT / 400 Fame]