[Mari]

"...No offense, Satan. But this is probably the ...fffttthird dumbest plan you've ever hatched?""I hardly see how this is even a 'failure'. I have you all to myself, and soon Carbuncle will come and join us! It's everything I could've asked for. Well--...Except for your 'ethereal' form." "...I mean--Not that I'm complaining about the whole being conscious thing, but would it have killed you to stop me from dying in the first place??" "...Yes! It would have absolutely killed me! Did you see how much magic that thing was channeling??" "...Great... So how did you even set foot in that church anyway?" "...Hmm?" "You know. The big building with the green guy on the jet thing?" "Oh, him..? He was a fan of rock n' roll." " . . . *Groan of Disgust* Please don't tell me you're going to keep me here forever." "Well I certainly can't let you off your leash now. Not after you pranced around cheating on me like that." "...There are so many things wrong with what you just said, I don't even know where to start." "Like it or not, Arlie, you're not leaving this room until I get an apology." " . . . You have no plans on resurrecting me, do you." "Later. I'd like to expirement a little first." "You STAY AWAY FROM MY SOUL, SATAN!" "Don't be so dramatic, Arle. I'm not going to fundamentally alter who you are. I only want to ensure that you look your best for our wedding~!" " . . . Ehehe--Wouldn't you rather catch up first~?" "Believe me, I've heard all I'm prepared to hear about the last year."

---

Meanwhile, back on the surface. Carbuncle has helpfully offered to lead the way to Arle! He has led Schezo and Rulue to the base of Satan's Tower, at which point the normally cheery yuru-chara becomes rather somber and uncomfortable. However, their destination was not the tower itself. Rather, he seemed to concentrate on the doorway rather hard. Without warning, the air seemed to rip open, creating a portal in the doorway to the tower. A thick sulfury smell radiated from the portal, giving one a hint as to where they were going. One could see an orange rocky valley beyond the portal, but it seemed to shift and swim as if the earth itself were alive, leaving one unsure if they'd even be able to stand inside. Are you brave enough to save the waifu?







"...Ugh! It smells like--" "I'm worried that the air might be toxic in there." "...Well--We can't just go back to Peach and tell her Arle's gone! That'll break her heart!" "...Hold my hand. I don't want us getting lost."









((Schezo! Rulue! ...To reach Arle, you will have to traverse no less than three circles of hell each. Each time one of you clear a circle, you'll be presented with three options for you to choose from OOCly. Only one of those options will allow you to stay together, however. Pick whichever you want, as ICly your character won't really know what comes next.

Schezo! Your choices are:
Violence
Heresy
Lust

Rulue! Your choices are:
Treachery
Greed
Lust ))

[Rina]

'Arle was found dead.'

The moment those news came to his ears, there was a simmering feeling of rage building up and wanting to avenge her. Who done it though? Seek answers? Or play the obvious card and blame Satan?

No wait, that doesn't sound right.
Why would he kill off his so-called fiance?
He's completely smitten for the girl.
Unless...
...No...he wouldn't stoop THAT LOW.
That could only infuriate the dark wizard even more!

...blame Satan it is then.

He trailed Carbuncle, having knowledge on where she could have gone. Once he made it to the rendezvous point, Schezo focused on catching his breath. He didn't notice the two girls standing before the gate right away; the guy's still a bit riled up from the news. Unusually riled up. Enraged maybe? Livid even? The dark wizard is normally an unflappable guy, yet he's overtaken with his emotions. As he tried to recompose himself, the sudden gust of wind blew open when the gate opened. Just when his life couldn't stink figuratively, he's now going to stink literally. BLEH! He HAD to get Arle back to this world, and probably kick Satan's ass about twenty-four times over to teach him a lesson. A lesson so severe that he'll forget who Arle is!

"I swear to high heavens above if Satan is behind this....!!!"

Is there a possible chance to bring a spirit back to the corporeal world though? Only one way to find out!

(Schezo's destination is...Lust.)

[TheSpatialWeeg]

As she approached the tower, Rulue was...very quiet. Perhaps unnaturally so.

Likewise with Schezo, she didn't take the news of Arle being dead well. At all. Unlike the Dark Wizard, Rulue descended into sadness and guilt. With Arle gone, it felt that a part of herself was forcefully yanked away from her and was mercilessly crushed beyond repair soon after.

Of course, once someone had let out the full details, Rulue decided to help find Arle's spirit. Sure, she wanted to destroy that body snatcher that was faking her, but that Rider girl was already on the chase, and that girl was deceptively powerful, so she let her do the job.

Once at the tower, she noticed the two girls...and the normally-unflappable Schezo fired up. She would introduce herself, but nothing surged from the mouth. Just an empty void, just like herself at this point.

"..."

Holding her ground as the portal made it's 'grand' entrance, she tightened her fists. It was time. The Fighting Queen walked towards the portal and jumped into it.

((Rulue's going to Lust, because I'm just too curious.))

[Mari]

Touko and Rosa watch Schezo and Rulue, but only give eachother thoughtful looks as they're decidedly ignored. Everyone was going through a hard time, it seemed, so there was no point in picking a fight over niceties. This was something they both understood. As Rulue and Schezo step into the portal they are guided down a lonely path, the orange sulferous dirt crunching under their feet. Eventually, a serpentine man's voice echoes from overhead. Or rather, it was telepathic and was technically coming from within their heads. Rulue and Schezo, however, receive the exact same message starting off.

"...Only those pure of heart may traverse Hell's domain freely, and you are not such thing. Now you must stand trial. Walk the many circles of hell until you have felt the weight of your sins. For allowing your carnal desires to cloud your judgment and muddy the waters of virtue, I banish you to... the second circle of hell. Know that this is the least severe of your sins and feel despair."

For Rulue, the voice was likely referring to her obsession with Satan and how it had led her to betray her close friend. Apparently, that was enough to get you sent to Hell. Harsh. Admittedly, it probably had more to do with the sheer extent of her betrayal. The beatings, and such.

For Schezo, the voice was likely referring to his obsession with Arle, and how it had led him to commit far more grevious crimes than in its wake. Or, perhaps, it was referring to one of Schezo's many victims of magic draining. Perhaps he'd had a crush as many humans were wont to do but his nature as a dark wizard had twisted it into something horrific.

...And then...

The ground melts away from Rulue and Schezo, dropping them into a hollow cavern together. A chorus of distressed groans echoed around them, carried by very powerful stormlike winds that quickly ripped the duo from their feet, dragging them backwards against their strongest wills away from wherever they wanted to go. The stormlike winds struck them hard, challenging the duo to push forward towards a perceived virtue. In the darkness, they would have trouble identifying anyone who was around them. Goodness hope that none of the other perverts trapped in this place found them, lest they get ambushed by an army of Choppuns.

((Rulue! Schezo! Roll 12+ INT three times to demonstrate your strength of spirit to endure this magical challenge! Each failure will result in you taking 20% unresistable damage))

[Rina]

WZhiFkalp_1d20+3
p_1d20+3 (We're off to a WONDERFUL START GUYS!)
p_1d20+3

A sinister voiced echoed within the sulfuric land, somehow crawling under his skin from the implications. What does the voice mean by 'lust', anyhow? It can't refer to carnal desires; Schezo has not once considered violating those boundaries at all. Perhaps it was referring to...power lust? The times Schezo felt compelled to steal magic for the sake of power? He shook off those thoughts, trying to focus on the matter at hand: going down deeper.

That is...

"NGAAHH!"

...until the floor collapses from under them, dropping them into possibly a trial of this layer. The flooring didn't crumble away, it felt more like a quagmire, representing the fallouts of such unrelenting sin. Yuck. The ripping winds blew against the Schezo, cutting right into him as he struggled to fight back. It was hard to see forward, as the winds would likely cut an eye out from some debris blowing in, but there was nothing important to turn to, only vaguely human-shape figures of others damned to this forbidden ground.

Damage: 40%

1d20+3·1d20+3·1d20+3

[TheSpatialWeeg]

"Gee, thanks for stating the obvious. It's not like I already regret that choice..."

Harsh as that was, Rulue already knew she would have to traverse to that circle, and while Arle seemingly forgave her so easily, she still reprimanded herself for abandoning her. The voice just made her feel worse right now, and really, was it needed? Maybe. In any case, she was thrust onto that circle of hell and had to face the dark winds plaguing the place.

zboA8jbtp_1d20+2 (Wind resistance 1)
p_1d20+2 (Wind resistance 2)
p_1d20+2 (Wind resistance 3)

No...I can't...let them...get to me! I need to save Arle. I've failed her once, and I'm not...I'm not failing her again! Pull yourself together, Rulue!!

No matter how hard the winds howled, Rulue wasn't going to stand there and get blown away. Her eyes lit once again with determination and she began pushing forward in order to leave the circle. "Gotta...keep...pushing...!"
1d20+2·1d20+2·1d20+2

[Mari]

The brutal assault upon the duo's souls continues, but over their grueling trip through the circle of hell they are both able to survive, some more gracefully than others. But now, as they near the end of their journey, a new challenge await them. There was no warning, no indication that they had reached any place of signifance... For each individual, the finale is different in spite of their physical proximity. In both cases, however, this final challenge was a physical manifestation of their sins.

Circle of Lust - Finale
Schezo

"...Schezo??"

Arle's voice pierced the noise of the wind, which almost seemed to fade out to make way for the powerful illusion. Something wasn't wrong, however. She sounded frightened. If Schezo opened his eyes, he would find that he could see. However, he might find himself wishing he couldn't. Before him was the mage he'd come searching for, but she laid in chains. Not only that, but this place was familiar. This was Schezo's dungeon, the exact same cell he'd once imprisoned Arle in. Only this time, she hadn't escaped. The illusion mage seemed to recognize this as well, her gaze quickly lowerin to the ground. It looked like she'd scraped her wrists raw trying to free herself from her bindings and her strength had left her. Defeated helpless, the illusion then... taunted Schezo with a cruel and warped mimicry of reality. "...Take me." the false mage requested, which really ought to clue Schezo in that it wasn't real. This Arle though. She seemed to want him back. She wanted to give him her... ...Power! The winds of hell push Schezo toward the fallen mage, who reached out to him weakly.

((Schezo! You are being made to suffer through a twisted re-enactment of what could have been! Whether you play along or try and resist your fate is up to you, but it may take a toll upon your soul regardless. Roll 12+ INT to take 20% damage. Roll 15+ INT to take 10% damage. Roll 18+ INT to take 0% damage. Rolling 11 or below will result in 30% damage being taken.

...Regardless of the outcome, Schezo has managed to survive the second circle of hell. At the end of your post, choose a new circle to enter. Your choices are:

Heresy
Violence
Anger))

---

Rulue

"...Rulue."

A familiar figure steps into view. It was as if Satan had just materialized out of thin air to address her. Regardless of what one's opinions of Satan were, this... false version of him was strikingly handsome by most standards. He had a serious expression upon his face, but before Rulue could question his presence or tell him off for bothering her, he continued to say something ... unusual? "This is no place for you." Satan stated with audible concern in his voice. He was here to ... save her? The dark prince moved closer and the winds of hell almost seemed to hold Rulue in place. "...Come, let me take you home. My home. I've come to realize that I have taken you for granted, and I'd like to ... make up for lost time." the false prince went on to explain as he moved in to wrap his arms around Rulue, as if to protect her from the cruel winds of this terrible place that had thrown him at her. Suddenly, Satan wanted Rulue? He wanted her bad in a lowkey kind of way. One could only wonder what awaited Rulue if she allowed herself to be spirited away by him... Can the camera even show that? Maybe not.

((Rulue! You're being forced to endure a twisted version of what was likely one of your wildest dreams! Whether you play along or try and resist your fate is up to you, but it may take a toll upon your soul regardless. Roll 12+ INT to take 20% damage. Roll 15+ INT to take 10% damage. Roll 18+ INT to take 0% damage. Rolling 11 or below will result in 30% damage being taken.

...Regardless of the outcome, Rulue has managed to survive the second circle of hell. At the end of your post, choose a new circle to enter. Your choices are

Treachery
Gluttony
Anger))

[Rina]

KJq0GkmMp_1d20+3 (1 point short feels bad)

Upon opening his eyes, the dark wizard felt as if his eyes were toying with him. The corridors, the familiar rockiness of the dungeon walls...and the prisoner that sat there, tethered to the wall in chains. All that he saw was re-enacting the very first encounter with the blue sorceress, but something isn't right. Why is she not making an attempt to flee? Isn't that how it played out? The illusion Arle appears to have tried, but almost seems to have given up. On top of that, there's that one line that made it all the more wrong.

"Take me."

Arle would NEVER say something like that! She'd fight back, or just snark at him for keeping her like this. So then...

...why is Schezo getting pulled in?

"......Arle... I'll be glad to take you..."
"...if you were actually her soul!"

...scratch that, he snapped out of it rather quickly. Even then, that tiny moment of giving in chipped away into his vitality, making him slightly weaker than he was than earlier. The illusion went away upon disbelief taking charge, but Schezo felt somewhat fatigued. Physically, he looked fine. Mentally, he feels drained. Rummaging through his belongings, he...came to notice that he still had that leftover birthday cake from Arle's party. Thank goodness for preservation magic! If he's going to go through something like this, he best keep his energy up. Eating a cake in the middle of hell was out of place, but he's doing what he can. He took a bite from the cake, expecting to be hit with bracing sweetness...

"...it's not that sweet at all..."

...but something about it made it seem more bitter. Maybe because it was Arle's Birthday Cake... (Item used: Slice of Cake x1, Heals 11%)

Wiping off the cream that smeared onto his face, his movements also caused a white cloth to slip from his belongings and land on the ground. Somehow, the cape pushed away the corrupting nature of hell upon contact, as if it exuded a holy aura that repels it. Isn't this the cape he got from the mirage mother of Arle? He picked it up, still immaculately clean despite dropping it, feeling conflicted if he should don it before stepping into the next layer. This isn't even his cape, after all. And yet, he has no idea why he kept it and not given it to Arle as a late birthday present.

Conflicted long enough to be seen by any of the girls, even.

((Schezo's next destination is Anger. Because I can SMELL the 'pervert' ridicule from a mile.))

Damage: 39%

1d20+3

[TheSpatialWeeg]

NlHDsua4p_1d20+2(Whoa, okay)

Rulue was braving the dark winds when she was suddenly greeted by none other than Satan himself! Before she could even prepare herself to beat him down, the guy was...offering to take her to her castle? Wha…? Rulue was befuddled by this, but then she remembered that she was traveling the circle of Lust...of course.

“Too little, too late! You lost your chance a long time ago!”

The Fighting Queen dashed towards the illusion viciously, throwing a punch once she was close enough. Whether or not the illusion would feel the punch or simply dissipate into thin air was...open to interpretation. Unlike the Dark Wizard's confrontation within his own illusion, her soul hadn't received any sort of damage. Was it because her affection for the dark prince was simply no more? Or maybe it was due to the fact that felt already hollow enough inside?

She picked up the necklace she had gained from Arle. She fiddled around with the Smash Amalgamation until she noticed the other’s name carved onto it.

She was trying hard not to cry.

The necklace was now such a harsh reminder that she failed to help Arle when she needed her the most. Any soul with some sort of pity could’ve argued that she couldn’t ‘predict’ or ‘sense’ her danger, yet this feeling of failure lingered in her heart...and it would only lift away once she got Arle back from Hell.

Stay brave, Rulue. Arle needs you, now more than ever. You won’t fail her again.

She grasped the necklace tightly under her two hands before placing them on their original spot. There was a long journey ahead, and Rulue would need all the strength she could get.

((Rulue’s next destination will be...Treachery.))1d20+2

[Mari]

"...I feel like you're not really thinking this through.""Hmm~ Give me a little bit more credit than that, Arlie. I've spent a very, very long time thinking about this." "Thatreallydoesn'thelpyourcase and I'm not marrying you!!" "Oh? And just what did you plan to do with that Viridi fellow, Arle?" "...Nothing! It was an obnoxious trap to get me killed!" " . . . " " . . . *Facepalm* I really hate you right now." "Bw--And what have I done to deserve such harsh words?! Perhaps you'd rather answer for your sins outside?" "...You changed me into a wedding dress. That isn't what I'd call comfortable, and I'm not some pet you can play around with, Satan! Neither is Carbuncle!" "..." "...just forget it. It never mattered what I said, right?" "Arlie..." " . . . "

---

Fifth Circle of Hell - Anger
Schezo

Can't pull a fast one on you, Schezo. ...Good thing Arle wasn't there to see that little freudian slip, though. The illusion seemed surprised by Schezo's restraint, but quickly melted away in a hazey blur before dissipating back into the air. In its place was Touko. apparently having been lurking around to see it all. Oh hey, what brings you to this circle of hell? She observed what Schezo was doing, but waited a moment before speaking. "Hey." she introduced, attempting to get Schezo's attention. She seemed oddly calm and collected, given the torturous nature of this plane of existance. "I noticed we both wound up in the same place and thought it would be a good idea to stop and check on you. This place is really brutal. ...Anyway, it looks like that cloak reacts weirdly with whatever this place is made out of. Maybe it could help protect you from whatever's ahead. I know it might seem impossible in a place like this, but try not to let it get you down alright? Think of this place like a bully. All you need to do is stand up to it. ...Here's hoping we meet again. I think something's happening."

((Touko's encouraging words have given Schezo a second wind! Schezo is healed of 15% damage))

As if on cue, the world dropped out from underneath Schezo and he once again found himself falling. "In your self-loathing, you have hurt those who cared most for you and those you care most deeply about. What was once tender and romantic has been tainted by your hatred. For that, you have been damned to the fifth circle of hell." a voice echoed in Schezo's mind. ...A horrid sound rushed toward him. The enraged screams of the a trillion damned souls shot through his body like a blast of hot air, accompanied by a sickly chorus of low choking groans that combined to form a terrible melody. Before Schezo could properly react, he had hit the surface of the River Styx. There was no boat for him, no ferryman waiting, just a sea of the ethereal damned clawing and dragging him deeper into the water. He would surely drown if he did not fight to stay afloat, but there was no end of souls to replace any he rebuffed. With so many hands grabbing at him, one could only imagine how horrible it must feel both physically and mentally.

((Schezo! You've met a terrible fate! Roll INT three times to resist the clawing and drowning efforts of the River Styx. The threshold for success is 15+ and the price of each failure is 20% damage.))

---

Ninth Circle of Hell - Treachery
Rulue

The illusion breaks apart as if it were no more than smoke as its struck by Rulue, dissipating into thin air before her eyes. Not long after that, however, her necklace began to glow with a magical power. It was indicating that she was close to Arle, but the mage was nowhere to be seen. Instead, the setting of hell had warped around Rulue at a moment's notice. A terrible chill shot through her body, penetrating her to her core. "You BETRAYED HER!!" the voice from before roared, drowning out Rulue's thoughts. She would find that she could no longer move, and as her vision came to focus the fighting queen would find herself frozen up to her neck in a lake of ice. She could move only her head and neck, the rest of her body tightly bound and unable to leverage its strength. The polar winds burned at her face, little icy crystals irritatingly scratching at her delicate features. "You were not misguided, mislead or manipulated. You made a choice on your quest for the ultimate trophy. A choice to abandon her when she needed you. A choice to beat her savagely. When she begged, begged... you to hear her out, you forced her to fight you instead." the voice scolded with an animosity that had not been present when it had judged Rulue earlier. "...You don't deserve a second chance." the voice went on to remark in disgust. "For your crime of treachery against your kin, I damn you to the deepest circle of hell. May you feel the same cold despair that Arle did when you left her longing for your warmth." the voice finished somewhat venomously.

...And just like that, silence. Naught but the howling wind to answer any protests Rulue might have. That was it. She was stuck here in the ice. There was nothing she could do but wither there in the cold with the knowledge of what she'd done. It was an agonizing existence, the burning sensation eventually giving way to emptiness as Rulue went mostly numb. Yet, death could not free her from this pain. It was too late for that. She was in her own personal circle of hell.

((Rulue! ...Hell hath just crit you. Roll 16+ INT to reduce the damage you take by 30%. Roll 20+ INT to reduce the damage you take by 50%. Roll a natural 20 to reduce the damage you take by 70%. Else, take 80% damage))

[Rina]

I2werckbp_1d20+3
p_1d20+3 (Okay that's MUCH better. Marginally.)
p_1d20+3

"Huh?"

Schezo's conscious snapped back to reality upon the false reality being dispelled. In front of him was Touko, which he honestly forgot was accompanying him due to having been caught up with just about everything toying with his mind. Seems his unusually emotional self was making him vulnerable to everything around him, and this was only the first of many. Oh dear, if she was in front of him, then does that mean she saw what he was deluded by?? Or how he was behaving??? If he's having this much trouble trying to traverse the wasteland, then who knows how well he'll fare in the end. Even if it isn't apparent, the words she gave to him helped him shake off what lingering doubt he had made, as if it literally lifted something off his soul.

"I will. Thank you."

Those words also gave him the push to don the cloak that he hesitated to wear. He shed his original one, unbuckling the clasp that kept it held and let it fall to the floor. In its place, he slid his arms through its sleeves, which surprisingly was the right fit for him. Hmm...If this was meant for Arle, and Schezo is at least one head taller, does that mean this thing would be too big for her? A curious thought.

It's oddly symbolic. This wasn't for him; it's for Arle's sake. With it on, he felt as if Arle is with him.
(Mrs. Nadja's Magical Cloak equipped!)

"?!?!"

And right as Schezo tied it together with a little bow-knot, the flooring began to collapse under him, descending down into the stream of more psychologically breaking words. This time it crawled deep into his turmoil of isolation.

He left his family behind... 
He left his class behind...
He was all alone.
Keep them an arm's reach away...
And you won't be hurt by their passing...
A fate of lovelessness.
A fate he resigned himself to.

"......"
"...!?!?!?"

But upon trying to speak his mind, he was quick to realize he was underwater, asphyxiated by the stream of River Styx and being dragged down into the depths by the claws. He struggled to rip the claws away from taking hold, frantically swimming up to the surface to catch his breath before he would truly live his life banished to this realm.

And good thing he knew a thing or two on swimming from Seriri, because he crawled out of the waters on the other side of the river, still mostly intact. The cape certainly softened the hellish feeling that weighed him down, but it's evident that keeping it in good repair is required to maintain its magical warding properties. As soon as he took it off and wrung it dry, he came to notice the tears left by the claws when trying to wrench himself away from them. On a darker cloak, he could have easily ignored it because it wouldn't contrast that well. On a white one like this? It bothered him. At least from his time alone, he did pick up some skills on how to fix up his clothes. He took what appears to be an old sewing kit and thread and began patching up the holes. He held the ends of the tear together with his hand, and poked the needle through to try and close it off. Little by little, a stitch at a time the gap closed off until the last stitch. With a finishing knot, he broke it away using his teeth and moved on to the next tear. It took hours to try and carefully fix all of them, but he eventually did it.

No one said he was good at it though.

"Mm...It's a shame a pristine white cloak like this had to partake in such abuse."

The stitching itself is a little loose and uneven in places, and the color of the thread makes it stand out in a tasteless fashion. It was, frankly, an amateur job, but what can you do when you're away from home like this? He would have easily used his usual cape as swatches, but alas, it seems to have been doomed to the depths of the river.

Damage: 44%
Cloak Damage: 17% (Repair attempted)

1d20+3·1d20+3·1d20+3

[TheSpatialWeeg]

JwEFA6cGp_1d20+2(gdi)

Rulue had caught the amalgamation glowing in her hand. She would've took a look at it further, bu the setting had suddenly changed to somewhere different, and before she knew it, she was stuck in a lake of ice, with only her head poking out and that voice loudly reprimanding her for her past actions against Arle.

She had went straight down to the ninth circle, Treachery.

The Fighting Queen attempted time and again to break free, but it was in vain. Soon, her body had gotten numb, and her heart, heavy with guilt over the scathing words the voice left her immobilized, only able to suffer.

Rulue began to laugh.

"So, this is it, huh?" She talked to herself. "All that pep talk, that struggle to keep going, and it was all for nothing." her broken laughter started to devolve into sniffles. "Guess I really was unforgivable after all..."Assuming the cold wind wouldn't freeze them before anything could've happen, tears began to stream down her face. "I...just wanted to save her. I have every right to be stuck here, but...she doesn't deserve to be here....SHE DOESN'T DESERVE TO SUFFER! I just...want her to be back in the real world...even if...even if I had to stay here for all eternity!!"

Rulue took a moment to realize she let out these words without much thought put onto that. This...this was how friends usually worked, right...?

...No...there was something else...moving her.

What she was doing...would seem beyond reason to many. She was offering to trade in a permanent stay in Hell if it meant for Arle to come back...that seemed even far-fetched for a friend to do...was it...? And then, as if a reality brick hit her again, it all began to make sense. The fact that she couldn't stop thinking about that smile...the sleepless nights worrying about her well-being...the urge to protect her and cuddle to no end...it all made sense now.

She was in love with her.

How could she have been so blind? When did she fall for the other? Was it...the mall's kiss, maybe? Or...did it date way back to the very first one she did to diss Satan? Whatever the case was, only now she realized that Arle meant a lot more to her than what she initially realized. It made her feel...pretty bad, actually.  Now she was truly stuck in place she couldn't help her significant other. It was truly hopeless. There was no escape for her.

But...there was still hope for the auburn-haired one.

"...Schezo, I'm sorry for being selfish, but...it seems to be the end of the line for me. I know you have more chances of saving Arle than I ever will now...please succeed in my stead. Please save her." She said to herself.

"...Arle. I'm...sorry we'll never get to see each other again. If only I could at least hear your voice one last time...or see you return to the real world...this would give me enough solace to resist this torture..."

At this point, she was no longer crying. Instead, a little smile formed on her face.

"...Goodbye, my beloved..."

---

Damage: 50%

1d20+2

[Mari]

Fifth Circle of Hell - Wrath
Schezo

((Schezo! Your modest repair job has yielded important, if not aesthetically clashing, results. Thankfully, aesthetic is not what holds the cloak together. The cloak has been healed of 10% damage.))

On the shore of the River Styx, Schezo is now able to perceive a myriad of flaming towers in the distance. They seem to beckon him towards them, being the the only feature visible on the horizon. Where else could he go but wander the swampy, murky, rather stinky marshlands of the fifth circle? As he approaches however it becomes apparent that he is approaching some sort of ancient city nestled between the towers. It was almost welcoming if you ignored the flames, but Schezo would never reach it. Long before he could, a heavy presence would obscure his vision. A rush of wind locked him in place, stealing his breathe away for a brief moment in its intensity .And then, before him, a circle of devils appeared out of thin air and began circling him evasively. They were making a point to hover just outside his sword's reach, forcing him to step forward to meet them if he wanted to attack. "Do not take another step." one of the devils commanded, his eyes closed and yet somehow, paradoxically, staring into Schezo's soul. "We cannot allow you to proceed." a somewhat softer spoken devil quickly continued, seperate from the first. In the theme of finishing eachother's thoughts, the devils went on in circles, speaking only when it was there turn to pass by the dark wizard's face. Every one of their eyes were closed for reasons unclear. "It's for your own good..." "The trials of hell..." "They're not meant to be overcome..." "It's too late for you..." "But if you go on..." "Your suffering will intensify..." "Beyond this point..." "Lays the circle of violence..." "Your inner darkness..." "Awaits you there..."

The devils then proceed to close in on Schezo, attempting to grab him and drag him back to the River Styx! Now silent and unyielding, they will attempt to restrain him against his will.

((Schezo! You must fight your way free of the group of devil's grasps! You are outnumbered and they fight with celestial strength, but perhaps if you resist for long enough you will be moved to the next circle as before.

Additionally, your final circle has been chosen for you:
Violence))

---

Ninth Circle of Hell - Treachery
Rulue

Silence predictably greets Rulue in response to her request. Yet, somehow she felt a second longing that was not her own. It was intense like her own, however. A burning passion that yearned for for her company. At that moment, she likely couldn't be sure how, but she was feeling Arle's own emotions in total synchronization with the other. This had caused the smash amalgamation still on her person to awaken at its full potential. Somehow she would feel a bit stronger than before. Yet, before Rulue really had time to consider what was happening to her a new voice would present itself.

"W-Wow... That w-was... really beautiful." the chilled, stammering voice of Rosa proclaimed in awe. If Rulue crained her neck, she could see Rosa standing nearby on the surface. It wasn't clear how much of Rulue's lament she had just heard, but judging by the fact that it looked like a couple of tears were freezing on her cheeks--probably a significant amount. The pokemon trainer closed the remaining couple of feet between her and Rulue, promptly plopping down in the snow next to the fighting Queen. One could observe that her hands were scraped raw, seemingly hinting at her own struggle to free herself from the ice. The trainer sniffled and gingerly brushed at her eyes with her wrist. "...S-Sorry, I know I-I'm not th-the voice you wanted to hear, b-but I n-noticed we wound up in the sa-same circle and I-I came t-to help..." the half-frozen trainer went on to explain, shifting on over to her hands and knees and gingerly reaching out to embrace Rulue's head, inadvertantly smothering the fighting queen in her bosom. It was admittedly a very warm experience, likely very pleasant compared to the burning winds. The trainer's heart was in the right place, at least, resting her chin atop Rulue's head and cuddling the other as best she could in an effort to comfort her.

((Rulue! Rosa's emotional embrace has reminded you that you are not alone, even in this world. Her attempts at comforting you have taken some of the edge off of your pain. You are healed of 15% damage))

"I-I'm going to get you out of there, a-alright..? Tha-That way you can g-go rescue A-Arle a-and t-tell her you how you feel! ...Your love is s-stronger than this cold." Rosa went on to offer in a brighter tone, seeming to have been inspired by Rulue's words. Her tone was now full of life, even if the cold was still wracking her with chills. Although they barely knew eachother, her embrace had been full of love for the other, a sweet and innocent form of love born of sympathy. Or perhaps ...empathy? She gingerly removed Rulue's head from her embrace, shifting back onto her hands and knees. She then jammed her fingers into the ice around Rulue's shoulders, pulling and yanking away at it in a bodily manner. It was a slow and, judging by Rosa's facial expression, very painful process. The ice would scrape and cut her already raw hands, but slowly yet surely Rosa was digging Rulue out with her bare hands. In spite of the pain, Rosa made an effort to smile. "D-don't give up... Those words... The ones you keep hearing. Th-They may be harsh, but they're w-wrong... Y-You're not b-beyond forgieness. I saw--I saw someone who was... He was much d-deeper in the ice... You have to... fight. Because they don't--...They sh-shouldn't have th-the right to judge you. And b-because ...I'm roo-rooting for you... Both of you~♪ I wanna see you two together." Rosa explained as she dug with all her strength. As she went on it became clear that she was no longer crying because of Rulue's words, but the unbearable pain shooting up her arms. Her body was giving up on her and her hands had become a frightening sight. Yet, she did not stop. She wouldn't. Not until her ship was validated. What a dork. Finally, Rosa managed to free most of Rulue's upper torso. Her chest and more importantly her upper arms now had more room to move. With more leverage and less weight, Rulue would be able to pull her arms free now. Then, using the greatly enhanced strength a pair of free arms granted her, she would be able pull the rest of herself out of the snow and ice.

((Rulue! You are now free of the ice.))

...Whatever scrapes Rulue might suffer pulling herself free would pale in comparison to the disaster that was Rosa's hands. The poor trainer didn't even look at them, knowing full well the extent of damage she'd done. She gingerly folded her arms, burrying her maimed hands in her armpits in a perhaps far-too-late effort to protect them from the cold as she fell back onto her behind. Seeing how bad off Rosa was, one might be inclined to wonder if she was the one that ought to be worried about making it through this. She does not get up after Rulue has been freed, perhaps unable to focus through the pain. There was another burning question, however, that may have very well slipped the mind of everyone involved. ...Why was Rosa here..?

((Rulue! ...As you've just overcome your greatest trial in hell, you've been afforded a single turn without risk of damage. Your actions in your next post will determine which circle you visit next.))

[Rina]

"Hm? What could that be?"

Picking himself off the ground, Schezo came to notice the town ablaze in the distance. What could be the cause of the fires? Is it just mental perception? Well, with nothing else to explore here, might as well check it out.

Well, try to check it out, that is.

As Schezo approached the flaming towers, he was suddenly met with a stifling gust, and then found himself surrounded in circle of demons. Out of defense, he drew his sword, but none of them were within his sword's reach. He can't swing to fend them away, that would be rather silly, swinging around that sword like an idiot. Charging in when he's outnumbered would also be monumentally stupid. They don't seems to be looking at him physically, but something about them is putting pressure at his core. Looks like he's going to another layer.

Too late for him...
His inner darkness...

It's those words that seem to get under his skin. Perhaps they're referring to...
...his encounter with Rune Lord.

But now is not the time to mull on that. The demons are attempting to drag him to his end, and Schezo cannot let them have his way. They're grabbing him, dragging him, but Schezo tried to shake them off as much as he could. Throwing them at the others, even. The struggle was arduous, but he had to buy time until he sunk through the ground once more, expecting the next trial. He may have had to use much more strength than he should, but hopefully his will is unshaken.

"Unhand me, fiends!"

Damage: 44%

Cloak Damage: 7%

[TheSpatialWeeg]

Rulue had suddenly felt another longing on her heart. However, it didn't quite feel like it was of her own. She was feeling someone else's emotions...Arle's emotions. The Fighting Queen was obviously confused at this. How did she get to feel the other's emotions? Well, she wouldn't be able to know just yet, because suddenly she heard another voice.


It was admittedly a struggle to check the source due to her limited movement, but when she managed to locate it...wait... "I saw you...back when we were going inside the tower!" Rulue exclaimed. So she wasn't truly alone here after all! While a bit flustered about that fact that she was heard, Rulue was admittedly quite relieved there was someone who could help her, and Rosa's hug definitely made her feel even better.

The Pokémon Trainer then attempted to pluck Rulue away from the frozen lake, all the while encouraging the fighting queen to keep going so that she'd be happy with Arle.

"...You're right. I shouldn't give up just yet. I've been through worse than this!" Well, the encouraging speech worked, and once her upper torso was freed, she pushed her legs free from the icy prison with the help of Rosa. 


"Thanks, I really owe you one." Rulue said to Rosa with a smile. "...I don't know why, but...I'm experiencing Arle's feelings right now." She commented. "She...she misses me. I gotta get to her soon." Rulue uttered. "I'm not sure as to why you've ended up here, but I know it isn't my business to pry into others' personal affairs. Stay sharp, you and I may be traversing to different circles soon."

---

Damage:35%