Log: Holy Grail War

[colchismagecraft]

🧙 WHO: Caster & OPEN (with a couple of closed TLs)
⚔️️ WHAT: Caster's gone on a grief-induced rampage after learning of the death of her lover back home
🕒 WHEN: June 6th, late night
🗺️ WHERE: The Brocéliande woodland
⚠️ WARNINGS: Violence, Arson, Kidnapping, Death Threats, Magical Torture, Grief, potential Body Horror (Will add more as they come up)



So here it was...the Witch of Betrayal finally showing her 'true colours' to Avalon. After that network post, Caster readied herself for whatever would come of it- the forest fire providing an ominous backdrop.

Since she'd come to Avalon, so many had told her she was a good person- and now, she was publicly burning it all to the ground.



[ooc notes: TL prompts will be in the comments!

I don't want Caster to get killed, but I'm all for her potentially getting maimed/scarred provided we plot first. If you don't think it's IC for your character to not just murder her, send me a message so we can plot how she can remove herself from the situation/have someone else intervene before it gets that far!

She'll be using her familiar symbiosis to fight and leaning toward making the actual description of that transformation slightly body-horror-y, but if you're not comfortable with that then just give me the heads up and I'll have her already turned when the thread starts.

Darin will have his own TL for rescuing him/fighting his own familiar fusion, which I'll link here when it's up- feel free to tag one or both as you see fit!]

Comments

Before the Battle (Closed to Darin)

[colchismagecraft]

Caster had been drifting in a daze since learning of her beloved Souichirou-sama's death, more so with how the trials had played out. But all that rose to the surface now were thoughts that she needed to get her revenge.

Nothing else mattered.

But Archer wouldn't come out just because she asked him to, right? She needed to find a sutible target... one an annoying hero sort like Archer would come to the aid of.

Ah. She knew someone she could manipulate.

Caster sent Darin a quick message:

could I borrow you?

i'm outside the broceliande woodland and there's something strange about the magic here

it is a little unnerving

[forgeabettertomorrow]

Darin was more than a little surprised to be hearing from Caster like this. But he was glad to hear from her regardless. Those trials really did a number on people and seeing her in those stockades...

She looked like she'd given up.

But given his work with Lady Ardenbury on the magic in Avalon, seeing the subject of the message made the hair on the back of his neck stand up.

No problem. I'll be right there!

He takes some essentials and hurries out the door to meet her.

Vs Archer (Closed to Archer)

[colchismagecraft]

When Archer emerged for her grudge-match, a humourless smirk crossed into her face for the briefest of moment. He hadn't simply avoided her...good. That saved her from having to resort to any further bloodshed. For all the extra trouble getting a hostage had brought her...the fact it forced him to listen was enough.

Nothing else mattered.

She knew she'd never find her happiness- and just like when Jason had betrayed and abandoned her all those years ago, the only thing she had left when she hit rock bottom was her vengeance. It was all she was, as the Witch of Betrayal.

"...Archer."

[unknowntodeath]

Archer had his swords with him and he was completely alone. He had left the apartment the moment he had seen the post to make sure both Rin and Saber wouldn't catch up up him. This was something he needed to do alone after all.

"Caster. Release the hostage and then we can fight or whatever you wish to do."

The Battle Itself (OPEN)

[colchismagecraft]

After reading through the replies her message had gotten...well, that was about what she had expected from it. She wouldn't ever clarify whether she'd meant to let the entirety of Avalon see it, for what little it mattered to her now.

For now, she just had to ready herself. She knew there were people coming for her, after all. If anyone tried to confront her, or interfere with her plan, or try to stop her taking her revenge- she'd deal with them as they came.

At least she knew she had a weapon to do it.

Caster turned to her now much larger familiar, giving it a little pet as she turned the enchanted dragon fangs over in her hand.

"Little one...are you ready? We have a war to win."

Re: The Battle Itself (OPEN)

[crimsongirl]

Homura wasn't even sure if she was first. She didn't care either, focusing entirely on Caster. Unless someone got into her line of sight, she wasn't going to gun for them. The only thing that mattered was confronting her....friend, and stopping this madness. She refused to allow anyone to kill the woman who helped her.

That said, she didn't look like she was gonna give Medea any hugs either. Swords had yet to be drawn, the air around her was hardly friendly either.

"No victory is worth this much," she appeared, jumping down a decent distance away from Medea. Her body had a few cuts and burn marks, all from trying to get here as soon as possible. "Call it off. Now."

[mayoninofukucho]

[Caster may well remember Hijikata - well, his face at least. The samurai caught her broadcast live as it aired and, seeing how half the off-worlder population seemed to immediately chime in with anything from shocked disbelief to angry threats to attempts at reasoning with her, didn't bother adding to the storm of voices. Instead he simply set out to the Brocéliande, alerting Camelot's fire fighting force on the way there. What he did not expect, though, was his familiar's arrival. He blinks at the crow tengu as he lands next to him.]

Hijikata-san, I am not surprised to find you here. However you should not face this person alone.

Well, if you show up unprompted my odds have to be really shitty. Any suggestions?

[The crow tengu wordlessly offers a small vial to his bond partner.]

Allow me to replace the fusion elixir of yours that I spent two months ago.

You've got the worst timing. Anyway, are you sure this will be necessary? She isn't all that cunning, kidnapping and hurting one of our main characters. Almost everyone knows Darin and that he's a good guy. She's got the whole town against her now.

Do not underestimate her. It appears that this is not the first time she resorts to such drastic measures to accomplish her aims, and her continued existence would suggest that the previous times she was successful.

Alright, then. Let's spearhead this.

[Hijikata drinks the elixir, and the fog that seems obligatory for this "brand" of fusion trigger envelops him and his familiar. Once it dissipates they are properly merged, with Arashi once more in control as the dominant magic user. He takes to the air on his large black wings without further ado, holding his staff securely and feeling the weight of Hijikata's sword at his hip as a secondary weapon. As he searches for Caster, though, he already knows that steel is unlikely to bring her down, and even advanced magic will not guarantee success.]

[impostorsyndrome]

[This is not going to be much of a battle, if it comes to that. Kadoc wasn't kidding about what kind of fight he'd put up, and he's not interested anyway. He doesn't slam in with any weapons or threats—instead he approaches as he has before, hunched with his hands in his hoodie pockets, backpack on and mask up. Having his familiar with him is unusual, but it doesn't look any more threatening than he does right now, still slung lazily around his shoulders.

And his dramatic declaration when he arrives:]

. . . Hey. Guess I'm not too late.

[But he is vigilant. Very vigilant, not just of Caster, but of the surrounding forest, the fire, anyone else who might be in those shadows.]

[ofsilverflame]

Chris didn't know Caster, didn't know the reason she was feuding with a marksman, or the person she had kidnapped to force the confrontation. It was easy enough to see from the post she'd made that she was hurting, that she'd suffered a loss and her reaction, extreme as it was, was a result of what was likely a lifetime of mistreatment. One probably didn't come to be known as "the Witch of Betrayal" by choice. Or maybe she did.

At the same time, none of that mattered. Whatever her loss, whatever her pain, it didn't justify her actions, or insisting on this feud when a much greater threat was lurking over them all. This whole thing was utter nonsense, and Chris intended to put a stop to it.

Armed and armoured, and with a vial of Rinea's potion should she need it, Chris arrived, her expression stern. Her eyes glance towards the familiar, then back to the hooded woman that brought her out here.

"Caster, is it? Surrender now, and release your hostage, and it may go easier for you. I'm in no mood for games tonight. Will you come quietly?" She asks this knowing full well what her opponent's answer will be, but an attempt must be made.

Caster's garb, much like her name (if indeed it was actually her name), gave the impression of a sorceress. Which meant she was more likely to employ magic than engage in melee. Which further meant the familiar was likely the real threat. Chris just hoped the work she'd been doing on her secondary magic would bear fruit, at least long enough to subdue this so-called Witch.

[excalibeam]

CASTER...!

[ Saber bursts into the area, fully equipped and gales of wind coming from behind her—obviously what was allowing her to move this quickly. Her familiar, a red dragon, was perched on her shoulder and snarling as she grinds to a halt.

She wasn't aiming to kill, but she was pissed now. ]

[patchricide]

[[OOC: For context, check out this thread!]]

Allura's running late. As much as she hates to admit it, Caster's plan to stop others from interfering worked, at least enough to stall her. But despite the damage to her clothes and the circle of blood smeared on her forehead, she's actually looking and feeling in better condition than usual.

And with a nice cocktail of adrenaline, magic energy and righteous fury running through her veins, there had better still be a piece of Caster left she can take her aggression out on.

"Caster!!" She brandishes her bayard, which is still in its glaive form from the fight with Darin. And then, as she runs towards the last place that she saw signs of battle, she reverts it — and then transforms it again, this time having it taking the shape of her energy whip sword, which streaks alongside her like a ribbon of light.

"Where are you, Caster?! Come face me, and answer for what you've wrought!"

Aftermath (OPEN) / tw injury descriptions

[colchismagecraft]

Finally, Caster was starting to wear thin. Her symbiosis was nearly burned through, taking every ounce of her concentration to maintain the fusion with her familiar.

Everything hurt.

Her robes were soaked through with blood from her wounds, and her vision kept blurring in what little of the light was left- the fire was dying down to embers now, too, leaving just the darkness of night behind.

Caster wasn't sure how much longer she could stay standing but- she'd got what she wanted, hadn't she?

...She wasn't sure how she was even going to stagger to somewhere sheltered, not like this. Was this how her 'War' would end? She never enjoyed fighting, to begin with.

"Ngh...if you've come to finish me, then..."

[eightfoldfiend]

Yuber found Caster in a blind alley near the outskirts of the city while hunting for prey. She had her back to him.

At her words he hummed low in his chest.

"Why would I want to kill you when you've created such beautiful chaos, Medea?"

His baritone voice came out as a rumble.

"But if you wish to die then so be it. I'll end your suffering."

With a flick of his wrists he dropped the hilts of the King Crimson swords from his sleeves into his grip and slowly walked towards her.

[troubadamsel]

Silence from the figure that approached her - perhaps in Caster's agony, she didn't recognize them. But they still said nothing, even as they took Caster by the arm, and had her lean on them...

And walked.

Maribelle kept her eyes forward, refusing to look at her.

"This isn't an acceptance of what you've done."

[morganknight]

"Oh please."

If Morgan had no patience for her antics, he had even less for the idea that he of ALL people had come to finish her. Without the slightest bit of ceremony, he grabbed Caster and scooped her into a princess carry, then immediately reversed course.

[cameprepared]

Caster's words are followed by the click of a pistol being cocked.

"Maybe I should."

Claire knew that was cold, but there was no hiding the hurt she'd felt at the sudden turn of events. She had never, ever pretended to be some noble hero, or a knight in shining armor. That was Chris Redfield, not Claire Redfield. She was wrathful, vengeful even, to those who'd earned her anger, and Caster had certainly done that.

Yet, she couldn't bring herself to pull that trigger. Not against someone that was more or less defenseless. Claire knew damn well that killing someone in a state like this was wrong, and she knew that something had set Caster off, but she had no idea what it was. It didn't seem rational, and it certainly wouldn't do anyone any good.

"But," she breathes out, hissing slightly as she lowers the gun, causing a lance of pain to dart up the wound there, "I don't want to."

"Are you going to keep fighting, or can we call this done? You can barely stand."

[inevitablerest]

He hadn't involved himself in the conflict. It wasn't his fight, and Thanatos isn't a god of violence in any respect no matter how he might feel about one of the participants.

Afterwards, though, he finds Caster in the midst of the destruction she had wrought and picks his way between the still-cooling embers of the fire, the small flames still burning, the ash and blood and... he finds her. He finds her and stands over her for a moment, before letting out a soft sigh.

"Is that what you'd ask of me?" he says quietly, planting the base of his scythe lightly against the ground. "You should know that isn't part of my nature."

[loyalbreed]

[ Revenge, the term had settled upon his shoulders when he heard her speak of it. He had not so much as responded to the video when he over looked it, curious that the woman would declare herself openly. However for those whom were of the past, it was no different from what any of them would do. No different from what Gawain had done when he stormed up to Lancelots own abode, and claimed before it that he would battle him plainly. Not leave until he had quenched his desire of revenge.

What was this but no different from his own actions? Though what Gawain had learned was of the foolishness of what he had done, and it had cost him - cost his King. His own folly of foolishness, ended with his own death and the troubles within the battle of Camlann.

He rides upon his horse Gringolet, and it takes him some time before he comes upon the firey scene. Uncertain if he had been late or not on time unto the battle. For as he rode up he was certain to see her demise upon those who challenged her. What was he but another query to this mess? He had come regardless, to put a stop to this and beckon to her better nature.

As such he states her name fully, with an even tone as he calls for her and searches through the demise. ]

Lady Medea of Colchis, it is I Gawain a Knight of the Round Table. I do not seek to fight, I ask for your admittance!

lmk if you want me to change anything timeline wise

[colchismagecraft]

[By now, Medea had been in her fair share of battles- those 'heroic sorts' rushing to intervene that were able to avoid Darin's rampage- and Archer himself had thankfully made his appearance. This whole affair borne out of grief was, well, not too far a cry from how she'd responded to Jason's betrayal in the past.

When she hit rock bottom, when she'd lost everything, that was when Medea truly showed what evil she was capable of.

...She suspected some would guess of her true nature after the broadcast, but hearing her name called out over the flames still came as a surprise. So Gawain had sought her out, had he?

Well, Medea would humour him. She'd done what she came out to do, so what became of her now was of little consequence.

With a beat of skeletal wings to clear the smoke, she moved out of the shadows of the woodland- keeping her distance and gripping Rule Breaker in hand, just in case.]

Sir Gawain.

Aftermath Pt 2 (Closed to Klaudia for now)

[colchismagecraft]

After she'd been dragged away from the battleground, Caster had promptly passed out wherever it was she ended up being taken.

And then she slept for a good day and a half.

She'd...definitely underestimated how exhausted the fusion would make her afterwards- and a small part of her was surprised that she'd actually made it out of all of this without being killed. But everything still hurt. And she was still frightened that she'd be a target for the whole of Avalon.

...She didn't want to die.

Oh- she promised Klaudia she wouldn't die, didn't she? And she promised to hide her in turn-

klaudia
im alive

Not the most coherent text, but at least it wasn't full of typo's.

[sulit]

For the past two days, Klaudia has been trying her best to keep herself occupied, even though the lack of any contact from Caster has been terrifying. The fact that she keeps checking the network for any word about the incident probably isn't helping her anxiety, but in this case... No news is good news, right? If someone had killed her, they almost certainly would have announced it as some sort of achievement, right?

When she finally gets a message from Caster, it's a weird sense of relief that doesn't actually lessen the pressure in her chest.

Where are you?
Are you okay?

aftermath lmk if u want anything change

[peacewithouttyranny]

[Perhaps he shouldn't be too surprised given that she was showing hints of a downfall back during the Celliwig's trials. Or perhaps it happened too soon that it surprised him. Either way, he saw the video on the night Caster declared herself on the network, but didn't get or want himself to be involved in her personal revenge, not even leave as much as a response to her. He doesn't like how she went in order to achieve her revenge, but what he did is instead wait for the next morning. A number of people were already going to confront her, anyway.

That's not to say that he wasn't worried about her. The next morning Soundwave checks the network every so often for news about the incident. And given that it was never announced that Caster was killed or jailed, he can hope that this message will reach her.]

Are you still alive?

I wish to see you.

[He doesn't expect an immediate reply from her, but he can wait hours after, or even days, only hoping that she would respond.]

Looks good to me!

[colchismagecraft]

[After she was dragged somewhere safe, bloody and battered though she was, the night of incident- she slept, all but passing out and sleeping through the next day and night. By that time, Archer had spoken up about the incident, but there hadn't been any word from Caster herself.

It was the evening of the second day following what happened that Caster was finally awake enough to pick up her phone, and she couldn't help but feel a twinge of dread seeing she had a message.

...It wasn't a threat, though, at least on the surface- although a paranoid part of her mind pondered if he meant 'if you are still alive I want to see you so I can finish you myself'.

Soundwave. Would he actually intend to kill her? She couldn't be sure anymore. She had to be sure of that before she put herself in danger. Even aside from the fact that she still felt too weak to go far.

Ngh... everything felt so fuzzy.]

soundwave
yesim alive

what doyou

[It struck her at that point asking 'What do you want?' would be rude, but with the brain fog, she couldn't think what else to say. So it just got left there. As an awkward half finished sentence.

...Her head hurt.]

close to Sir Gawain - post Archer vs. Caster // cw: blood, injuries

[unknowntodeath]

The fight between Archer and Caster ended with Caster stabbing Archer with rulebreaker. Fortunately, the dagger held none of its normal powers so nothing happened other than a wound on his back. After Caster had her broken victory laugh (and had to go deal with a lot of other people) Archer managed to start walking away from the forest. Luckily she hadn't checked to see if she actually finished him or anything.

Unfortunately he didn't get very far, considering he was bleeding a lot and the battle had left him exhausted after using so much of both of his magics. So he collapses onto the ground under a tree that is luckily not on fire at the moment with a pained sigh.

He did promise to return alive, but it would take a while at this rate... or he might fail and Rin would bring him back just to kill him again. Either seemed pretty possible.

Run in late with starbucks.

[loyalbreed]

He had his own partings with the magus mage, but as the fight roar on and she were ceaseless with her feelings. Rage that boiled and would only be countered by those who were closet to her - he turned his eyes to the world around her. Making light of who he could help whilst her rage echo'd on. Inevitably his eyes would come upon the red archer - he knew him well. Found kinship in another realm (extella), and despite those memories not being heeded into his current container.

The value and respect he had for the male still stood thusly, not to mention his mild awareness that his closeness with his King was apparent. Gawain had been upon horseback, the hooves of Gringolet slamming along the grass with a thudded regard ceasing its movements when they finally came to the direction of his attention. The horse stops, with a nicker in response toward Gawain relinquishing his weight off the horses back.

"Sir Archer, is that you?" The knight regards him with a cool voice, coming closer with his knee pressed against the ground. There was urgency in his movements, but he was careful in how he handled his voice.