[Deleted]

As soon as Shadow's fragment meets the eyesocket of the Inquisitor, the battle scene freezes. Something else was going on. They'd not found a fragment, but they'd found a secret beyond even Isonus's reach. Rather than converting this fragment into a singular shell to be taken along, a few other fragments congealed together, and pieced what was solved so far. Isonus's life was laid out before them, and in a flashbulb-like burst of knowledge...

..they may understand everything now. 

The Inquisitor reaches fruitlessly as the vessel is placed into his mortal coil, slowly undoing his corporeal being from this plane and the next. Shadow has doomed him to an eternity of suffering at the hands of an elder god's whim. Just as he frees it, he's done the ritual against even his own will. Of what? What ritual? Vessel? It mattered not, all would make sense in the end. There's a sense of peace that may wash over the two from this moment. The fragment takes shape, congeals and pulses... It's a child. A child of blood and Essentus, born of the great betrayer. He Who Broke His Pact. That was the Inquisitor, the reason he'd hunted down the great thaumaturge. To free him from his eternal contract. Mercy in its blindest state, unaware of the gifts to come in the absence of such contract holders. The Inquisitor falls to his back, the shard that was jammed into his eye forms into a humanoid, pale figure. It was entirely devoid of features, no flesh or texture. Just... light. This thing was a Devourer, an eldritch being from beyond the veils of reality that could manifest into a mortal coil, to serve Shub Illu'aag'raask in an eternal game of lovers, fighters, and rivals. Isonus had defied his place, and killed his pact creator, just as he was signed to do. This one? He did not, he failed his task.

The Devourer reaches forward...
(Rolling for a special event. Just for lulz, 69 is the success roll. Not that it'll happen anyways, prepare for a fight.)
493R|Jujp_1d100
(...or not. Nevermind, no fight here.)

The being's body morphs, and slowly takes the shape of Shizuka... The energy-being is entirely white, void of features still, but has taken the silhouette of the girl.

"What curious sensations. I am free, yet trapped once again..."
The godly being steps around and twirls on a foot, seemingly happy with her new body. 
"Oh this is lovely. It reminds me of when I was the little squirrel boy... So light, so... lithe. Thank you. I will return home, and for this... I will free a few more of these seals. Go now to your battles ahead. I sense... one more. Fill your pact, and return home whence you are done. Tell my beloved that all is forgiven, his past shall remain in the past... But he'll want those relics, won't he? Ahaha~"

With that, the two are sent back to the front of the hall, seven curios lined around the final fragment. This devouring being... saved them from an arduous journey. To here, they were set, and the conditions were rife. It was time to end this charade once and for all. To free the halls, and resume the research of the Arcaneum.

The Pen of He, the Fragment of the Pearl, the Eye, the Pendant, the Shawl of An Old One, The Umbilical Cord of An Old One, and finally... a worn out battle glove.

One of the two here would need to take that gauntlet, and put it on in order to activate this final battle. Its energies would best suit one skilled in magic, or perhaps one who is fast. Either way, the two were equally suited to use this object.

(If you both wish to use it, roll WIS, the highest roll gets to wear the gauntlet)

1d100

[Deleted]

Shizuka watched as Shadow had managed to stab the shard into the monster's eye. "Great job..." She said to the Hedgehog as she watched the monster undo itself until it formed into... A child. Shizuka didn't like where this was going, especially since it began to form into a person and then into... Shizuka herself?

"What..." Shizuka was aghast, even if she said that emotionlessly. Either way the being had thanked the two and in gratitude, he will free enough seals so that Shizuka and Shadow would just have to clear one more, which was the final one, as they sent the duo back into the hall with all the things that they have received during the mission.

"That last part was weird... Even for more tastes." She said to Shadow before looking down at the gauntlet and wondered who should take it.

L1WNoD6Lp_1d20+0(Definitely not Shizuka.)

Shizuka looked at the gauntlet before looking at Shadow. "I think this would be suited for you... I feel as though you would have more power with this gauntlet giving your relation to magical things like this." Shizuka said to Shadow.1d20+0

[cynda1]

Shadow squeezed his eyes shut as the monster he shoved the shard into suddenly froze. He didn’t know what he was expecting, but complete and utter silence wasn’t it. The hedgehog slowly, and cautiously winked one eye open to see the beast was now being surrounded by an odd sort of light. Shadow backed away as the monster started transforming. He instinctively took a battle stance, yellow streams of lightning dancing around both of his arms indicating that he was ready to use any of his powers if he needed to.

But to his surprise, what stood before them was not a monster… but another Shizuka. Shadow was shocked at first as he glanced between the two, but then formed a scowl on his face. He didn’t jump to any conclusions, but… was this all a trick from Mephiles? The words from this new Shizuka seemed to suggest otherwise, but the Ultimate Life Form remained cautious until she started talking about love. That was not a topic Mephiles would dare talk about fondly, surely. Not with a straight face or some reluctance.

Shadow convinced himself, for that reason alone, that Mephiles was not here.

Next thing the two of them knew, the hedgehog and the girl were back in the hall in which this all began. The hedgehog glanced around, taking not of the relics that laid before them… but wait, when did they end up getting so many? Did… did that person keep their promise and help them get the other relics? Shadow’s face grew hard with determination, but Shizuka should make no mistake. There was a message this person wanted sent to Isonus. It was only fair to repay this person for their help.

But for now…

Shadow stared at the gauntlet, almost a little overwhelmed by the power it seemed to possess. He looked over at Shizuka as she tried to get a sense if she was worthy enough to wear it… she felt unsure, so she suggested Shadow wear it instead.

As much as the Ultimate Life Form hate to admit it, the gauntlet seemed to both intrigue him, and cause him to be wary. Still, when the hedgehog thought about the students that were still trapped in the castle, even as they stood there talking, he couldn’t deny that swift action needed to be made. They needed to take out whatever monster was keeping everyone trapped, no matter the risk. “Whatever we need to do to keep moving.” Shadow nodded as he reached for the gauntlet…

7k5DQRrBp_1d20+1 (Shadow's WIS test... his barely beats Shizuka's, so Shadow wears the gauntlet.)

...And what happened when he put the gauntlet on was astonishing!1d20+1

[Deleted]

It was then that Shadow's mind floods with knowledge beyond even his own reality. Essentus, Elaam'a, the kids, the Pearl, and everything between... The gauntlet's wrist-lock tightens over Shadow's inhibitor ring, and the cinching lock is likely a reassurance. The shawl and the pen move close. The shawl drapes over shadow's shoulders, the emerald hues resembling that of Isonus's cloak, and the pen tucks in close, its near-liquid state forming into almost a pin that cinches the thing over him. A crawling, burning sensation spreads through Shadow's arm and up into his quills, tinging his red tips white at the very ends. His eyes become a bright, burning orange, and in that moment he was transformed. Neither mortal nor hedgehog anymore. If he were to open that gauntlet, it'd spark and surge with chaos-bossed Essentus, energy beyond his own normal understanding. But he'd know. This new creature from the ashes of two worlds is now realized.

Shadow now wields Isonus's power. To couple this, those voices in the back of his head cease, and his soul burns to life. It swells with incredible power, burning to life in an aura not too dissimilar to Super Shadow. If he were to speak, he may feel his vernacular amplified, his lingual abilities expanded. This was temporary, he'd know this, and he'd need to likely make the most of it before this power eventually ran out.

Shizuka, on the other hand, may watch as runes light up across the room, and the final fragment took shape into the form of a mirror. Isonus is on the other side, but he's... wrong. Something about the Isonus inside is reflected in some malignant way. Was this black-rimmed looking glass some sort of joke..? 

The Isonus on the other side beats his fist against the mirror once. It cracks. Again, it begins to give way, and finally, he forces himself through with a cascading shout. This reflected, evil version's eyes were a bright violet.

"I'm going to make you bleed, my reflection. Whatever form you take, I will never forgive you. GO BACK TO YOUR OWN WORLD!"

The shadow-reflected Isonus takes a battle stance, it's a fight!

Reflection of Torment
HP: ??
Shield: ??

(Shadow, you now wield every single one of Isonus's moves on top of your own! Refer to his character profile for details on how his skills work, and what way they can benefit your own.)

(Shizuka! You need to navigate the battlefield to these runes while fending off attackers. Every rune you face will be a quick battle before you can activate it to seal the Reflection of Torment!)

[Deleted]

Shizuka watched as Shadow put on the gauntlet, and a weird thing began to happen as she watched. "Magical..." She muttered as the gauntlet glowed and as it did, Shizuka began to see something light up around the room. It was runes for some reason, maybe they're the reason that the fragments have been taken on monstrous appearances.

Such as a mirror that contained a shadow version of Isonus, which broke through and got ready to attack Shadow. Shizuka backed away and looked towards one of the runes, quickly she ran towards it.

Even if she is leaving Shadow alone to face Shadow!Isonus. If her theory is correct then the runes must be the reason why shadow Isonus currently exists and if she stops them in some way, he will vanish and the halls will revert to normal.

"Stay safe Shadow..." She quietly called out to Shadow as she went to the first rune.

[cynda1]

The gauntlet clipped itself onto Shadow’s inhibitor ring, causing Shadow to squint at the item. The effects were instantaneous. Shadow, suddenly enlightened by the power of the gauntlet, saw everything regarding Isonus’s world. Every path he could’ve chosen, the means behind every decision he made, even why he loved so deeply and lost so bitterly. Shadow thought he understood Isonus before… but this was a whole new level.

Shadow felt like he was Isonus… in a sense.

To say it was strange would be the understatement of the century. The burning sensation caused the hedgehog to squeeze his eyes shut, though the pain in and of itself was probably a good indicator that Shadow was best suited to wear the gauntlet. Shadow had taken a few deadly hits through the course of this journey so far, so this was hardly anything he couldn’t handle. With that burning feeling, he felt a power, similar to his own Super Form, but… different all the same. His piercing red eyes turned into an even more piercing orange… somehow. (Seriously, orange is more piercing than red? That doesn’t make any sense…)

Shadow could feel his power, and even the knowledge he was given, it was all so overwhelming. Shadow stood there in shock as everything, at least in this form, seemed to make sense. Isonus’s motives, and not just Isonus’s motives, everyone’s motives seemed to make sense to him. Shadow could only stare at the gauntlet on his hand as he had to wonder… what did this thing do to him? A strange feeling of intrigue, oddly enough, made him want to study this phenomenon, perhaps put it under some testing…

...But that was nothing like Shadow.

The hedgehog… god… thing shook the idea out of his mind. Now wasn’t the time to trifle with something so frivolous. His students… or rather Isonus’s students were in real, grave danger! And Shadow… Isonus… Shasonus would see to this demon’s demise, tear the soul out of it and watch it crumble at his mercy.

Shasonus would wonder where that came from but… he already knew.

The powered up Shadow was only distracted by his thoughts when the new foe standing in their way emerged. Shasonus only looked at this new Isonus when he addressed him, but he didn’t seem surprised by this... because he wasn’t. He turned his attention toward his foe before squinting his eyes a bit, then formed a smirk. “Oh, many apologies, my foolish foe,” Shasonus spoke. If Shizuka didn’t notice an extreme change by Shadow’s appearance alone, perhaps the way he talked would be a clue. “But it appears as though you stand between myself and the safety of my students.”

Shasonus chuckled and folded his arms over his chest. “Unwise… very unwise of a decision to make on your part.” Then, he graced this fool by giving him actual eye contact, perhaps the last the being would ever receive before being sent to the pits he came from. (Oh joy, Shasonus has both Shadow and Isonus’s ego… great…) “And now you increase your stupidity by daring to challenge me to a fight? Whilst my power burns within me seeking nothing but your destruction?” Shasonus bellowed out a stream of laughter, mixed with anger and slight amusement at this reflection’s folly. “I shall enjoy revelling in your destruction.”

Shasonus glanced over at Shizuka, the one who had assisted him in this rescue mission this entire time, nodding as it seemed they had to part ways for the moment. “I’ll keep this idiot at bay,” he nodded. “You need not fret about me. I will ensure he wishes he were never born.” And with that, Shasonus- Shadow the Hedgehog empowered with the ability of Isonus- stances himself out, making intense eye contact with his foe, sending the message that he was not backing down in the slightest.

Shasonus began his assault with an attack Shadow was most familiar with: Homing Attack. The hedgehog… god… thing rolled into a ball and launched himself at the enemy.

9Db_mvsLp_1d20+3 (Shasonus used Shadow's Homing Attack! Shadow's DEX stat allows for a +3 in his roll. If the attack makes its mark, Shadow's Homing attack should cause 12% of damage.)

The attack could’ve been better, but Shasonus wasn’t done yet. A wave of extremely dark and intense Essentus surrounded him as he tried to overwhelm the foe with his power. Shasonus really had quite the intense stare…

p_1d20+1 (Shasonus used Isonus's Break Them technique. Shadow's WIS stat allows for a +1 in his roll. Should this attack take effect, in theory, the enemy will be inflicted with the Will Broken status effect, which will cause them to be susceptible to Isonus's Primary attacks among other things. The foe will have to roll an INT roll that beats Shasonus's WIS roll to avoid the fate. If the roll fails, the enemy will be inflicted by Will Broken for 3 turns.)

Once that was done, Shasonus waited to see what his foe would do in response. Would his new technique work against his foe? Whatever the case, Shasonus wasn’t done. The hedgehog’s eyes flashed a bright blue before a lightning bolt of the same color is sent in the foe’s direction.

p_1d20+1 (Shasonus used Isonus's Unyielding Bolt attack. Shadow's WIS stat allows for a +1 in his roll. Should the attack make its mark, the attack will cause 16% of damage. On top of that, if his Break Them technique is in effect, the foe's INT roll will be lowered by -1 for 1 turn if hit.)

Now Shasonus was done. The godly hedgehog waited for his foe to retaliate… something that Shasonus would be sure to beat him down for. No one messed with his .... Isonus’s students.

---

Shasonus
Health: 150/150
Shield: 50/50
Status: Enlightened, Overconfident, and Angry
Cooldowns: None

1d20+3·1d20+1·1d20+1

[Deleted]

SHIZUKA
As Shizuka takes off towards the first Rune, it lights up, shedding its hideous veil to uncover the Knowledge Eater in its terrible stature. That thing... it stood upright, hunched back a little, as though it were too top heavy. This thing could smell her apathetic soul, and wanted a bite! It was a lesser one, but still, a hard battle ahead! The pencil thin creature spreads its claws apart, defending the Rune! "DEFEEEEND THE IIIICOOOON."

LESSER KNOWLEDGE EATER
HP: 75%

---

ROLL THRESHOLD DISCOVERED - 10 or higher autohits the Reflection! Anything less and the being will power through your attacks effortlessly!


SHASONUS
The Reflection couldn't believe it. This... thing was neither Isonus nor mortal. It was... a hybrid, a terrifying amalgam of the things he feared - himself, and the unknown. The spin attack bounced uselessly off of his body, but when their eyes met... those violet irises dilated incredibly. Even when he, an endless being, met his demise and was forever reduced, this... thing was all that was going to be left. It shattered his psyche, and filled him with unimaginable dread. Only to be blasted by his own technique, and shocked. His brain addled with fear and agony, the Reflection doubles back and clutches his head, sniveling and growing more enraged by the second. Mind marred by the inexorable fate that had been shown to him, The Reflection fights back against his partial doppelganger.

"You know NOTHING of my world! Elaam'a belongs to the humans!"

The racist madman, as usual, spouts his drivel from atop his proverbial soapbox, to a mass of nothing but his own ego.

The Reflection raises his hands high, gauntlet clasping the back of an empty hand. His back goes inward, chest out, head to the heavens. Though Shadow himself would know nothing of this technique, the temporary knowledge he gained from the Gauntlet would grant him insight to this technique. The Heaven Burst. If Shasonus were hit with this, it'd open him up for a free followup. Best to get out of the way.

(SHASONUS! The Reflection of Torment is trying the Heaven Burst! If you're slammed with this spear of pure white energy and don't shield it, you take 35% damage and lose access to Isonus's attacks for 1 turn! Roll 12 or higher to dodge it!)

Reflection of Torment
HP: 16% damage taken
Shield: ??
Status: Will Broken - 0/3

[Deleted]

Before Shizuka had left to get to the first rune. She had briefly looked back at Shadow, who was acting weird now that he had the gauntlet on. It made Shizuka glad that she wasn't the one with the gauntlet, although if she did then Shadow would of probably been alright, she hopes he is by the end of this battle.

"Uh, ok?" Shizuka walked towards the first rune, only to jump back when a knowledge eater appeared. It wants to bite Shizuka as well as defend the rune, as it so declared.

Well, he won't anymore, because Shizuka was going to end his duty right here and right now as she took out her raygun.

By shooting it into pieces of course, Shizuka quickly aimed her raygun.

"Not anymore." Shizuka countered to the knowledge eater as she began to fire her attack.

oJIxLdqhp_1d20+3(Raygun > Knowledge Eater: A small energy blast that will cause 16% damage if hit.)

p_1d20+3(Raygun > Knowledge Eater.)

p_1d20+3(Raygun > Knowledge Eater.)
1d20+3·1d20+3·1d20+3

[cynda1]

Shasonus, despite Shadow’s initial attitude toward it, formed a red bubble shield around him, clenching his eyes shut as the force of the attack pushed him back a bit. He knew this was an attack he couldn’t allow himself contact with. Despite the power the attack held, Shasonus came out of it unscathed as he glared his enemy down. The fierce orange eyes were focused. As arrogant as Shasonus was, he was not about to let this foe of his exploit that weakness of his. He would tear this enemy a new one with his bare hands!

Shasonus Shield 50>15

Hey! He heard a familiar voice in his head say. I don’t need to use shields! I’m the Ultimate Life Form!

Fool! Shasonus barked right back. If I had refrained from utilizing the shield, we would have been withheld from using Isonus’s power!

Hmph… I would’ve taken that chance…

Well, that’s hardly your decision, now is it? Now be silent. I have this under control.

Hmph. We’ll see...

Shasonus rolled himself into a ball and skidded across the floor at his foe. He would aim at the reflected Isonus’s legs, but it would only seem to be effective once.

2u9pPRCHp_1d20+3 (Shasonus used Shadow's Spin Dash attack! Each attack used successfully against this foe will cause 7% of damage.)
p_1d20+3
p_1d20+3

Next, Shasonus filled himself with another dark aura as his eyes flashed a dark black, staring at his foe directly in the eyes. If this attack were successful, the reflected Isonus should feel a sense of dread deep within his core. He, perhaps, could sense his own demise coming near, or at least a possible demise. The status he’d previously inflicted wouldn’t seem to help much either. On the contrary, the fake may have felt even worse because of it.

p_1d20+1 (Shasonus used Isonus's Fate Decided! Shadow's WIS stat allows for a +1 in this roll. Should this technique take effect ~~threshold is 10, so hopefully it did~~, the foe will be inflicted with that stat Fate Decided, which will take full effect in 3 turns. This technique has a cool down of 5 turns after this one.)

Finally, the grand finale of his turn, Shasonus formed another lightning bolt, this time in his hand. He then swiped the bolt of lightning toward his foe, staring at it silently as it was sent forward. It seemed as though Shasonus was both certain of this reflection’s demise, and curious to see what all of his techniques, new and old, were capable of.

p_1d20+1 (Shasonus used Shadow's Chaos Spear attack! His WIS stat allows for a +3 in each roll. Should this technique make contact, the foe will receive 3% damage and also be inflicted with the Speared status, which allows Shasonus to inflict the Spear Pulled technique. This status can be stacked three times, which will inflict 5% of damage every time it's affects are used. Chaos Spear will have a 2 turn cool down after Spear Pulled is utilized. Because Shasonus already comboed Spin Dash, he can only used Chaos Spear once here.)

If someone was watching, one would notice that Shasonus didn’t use an attack he had on a previous turn. He also seemed rather pleased with his progress.

Fascinating…

Will you stop getting distracted and finish him? We have people to save here, you know.

I realize that! Can’t I just… take a moment to revel in the powers I now possess?

No.

…Rude.

---

Shasonus
Health: 150/150
Shield: 15/50
Status: Curious and a little too impatient at the same time.
Cooldowns: Break Them (4), Fate Decided (Starts after Fate Decided takes affect), Chaos Spear (Starts after Spear Pulled takes affect.)

1d20+3·1d20+3·1d20+3·1d20+1·1d20+1

[Deleted]

Shizuka, The Rune Sealer

(Two hits, one crit. 36% damage. Threshold discovered at 10.)

The Knowledge Eater stumbles back from the two its, and its unnatural, contorting movements evaded the last hit. The beast reels back, and steadies itself with a stomp! That needle limb pierces the ground, and the creature reached its long, blade-like arm out to slice at Shizuka. That long bladed arm swings with unusual fervor!

"KREYAAGH! FEAST, FEAST, FEAST!"

(Shizuka, roll a 10 or higher, or take 15% damage.)

Knowledge Eater
HP: 39%

---

Shasonus, Fused Elder Entity

(Reflection of Torment takes Fate Decided, and is hit with one Spindash and one Spear 14% damage)

The Reflection's vision doubles, triples even as his mind reels and cracks, feeling the veins of death finally creeping over him... What was this Thoein doing with such power?! With The Pearl, with HIS powers?! The entity tries to purge himself of the vile energy, but is incapable, and grits his teeth. Time to put his nose to the grindstone, and defy fate.

"I won't let a THOEIN stop me! BEWARE OUR INFLUENCE!"

With a raise of his hand, massive tendrils rise through the ground, the limbs of Shub Illu'aag-raaschk! That very Elder God they faced mere moments before. Whatever being was behind this entity being summoned was not here lightly. Shub was fighting in this battle, too..! This was a fight of puppets, merely controlled and given strength by the gods behind them. Or was it..? Shasonus had passed expectations by far, and clearly held the capability of fighting back against such Godly forces.

(Shasonus! The Reflection of Torment is attacking with Tendrils of He! Either roll a 12 in DEX, or use Unyielding Bolt to counter the attack!)

Reflection of Torment
HP: 30%/
Status: Will Broken (1/3)
Fate Decided - 3 turns until doom. Will will remain broken on the final turn...

[Deleted]

Shizuka rolled her eyes, that thing wasn't dead yet, but at least she did a good start in her search and fighting the damn thing, but what made her really roll her eyes was the fact that it was speaking in tongues.

"In English..." Shizuka demanded, only for the thing to slash her, so she blocked it with a bubble shield before firing back her raygun.

zG7DLG46p_1d20+3(Raygun > Knowledge Eater: A small energy blast that will cause 16% damage to the enemy.)

p_1d20+3(Raygun > Knowledge Eater.)

p_1d20+3(Raygun > Knowledge Eater.)

---

Bubble Shield: 36/511d20+3·1d20+3·1d20+3

[cynda1]

Shasonus smirked at the fear that was all too clear in the face of his foe. Both Shadow and Isonus shared the love of proving their power to their enemy, and it seemed as though Shasonus loved it all the more, if that were even possible. The arrogant ascended hedgehog waited for his foe to gain his bearings, which, much to his glee, took just a tad longer than Torment would’ve liked. Just as he had for almost this entire fight, Shasonus remained silent as he waited for his foe to respond to his last assault.

The shout that was made made it all clear: this was a losing battle Torment’s part, and he didn’t like what it was he was losing to.

Just as Shasonus expected, the being would make a rather rash attempt at attacking the godly life form, but said being wasn’t phazed. Quite the contrary… he wanted the attack to come.

5ibe5Mtyp_1d20+3 (Shasonus made a DEX roll to avoid the Reflection of Torment's Tendrils of He!. Success!)

So he could avoid it yet again!

“My, my, my…” Shasonus spoke after he had vanished and reappeared, a smile even more arrogant and sinister upon his face. “If I didn’t suspect incorrectly, I would assume that you actually foresee your defeat by my hand, despite your prior claim. But, that wouldn’t be the case, surely not. After all, the very idea of being surmounted by a mere Thoein, a hedgehog of all things, infuriates you to the point of outrage, does it not?”

Shasonus’s grin widened all the more. “Splendid…” he whispered. “That is but a mere sample of the inner rage I am experiencing just witnessing you breathe where you stand!”

Once that was said, Shasonus began his assault yet again, this time with even more vigor.

Shasonus, with a decisive flick of the wrist, shot a lightning bolt in the direction of Torment in hopes of knocking even more of his hope down. Shasonus was indeed a merciless creature, and had every intention of inflicting the greatest of punishment upon his foe.

Well… almost every intention.

p_1d20+3 (Shasonus used Isonus's Unyeilding Bolt attack! Shasonus's WIS allows for a +3 in each roll! Should this attack make contact, not only will it cause 16% damage, it will also lower the foe's INT by -1 for 1 turn.)

After unleashing the bolt of lightning, Shasonus began motioning his hand rather swiftly, as if wiping a stain off of a flat surface. The result of the action, though perhaps not clear right off the bat, was a disk like attack made up of essentus energy. With a swipe of Shasonus’s hand, the disk was sent his way with a possibility of knocking the being over.

However…

You fool! Don’t you realize that that attack brings up the possibility of reversing the Broken Will effect?

...No. What’s such a big deal? That last attack did nothing!

We may lose the ability to rip his soul out, you insignificant clod!

Oh… Seems like we’ll need to come up with another strategy.

Oh, gods, help me…

p_1d20+3 (Shasonus used Isonus's Sweeping Perdition! Shasonus's WIS stat allows for a +3 in each roll. Should this attack make contact, not only will the foe receive 12% damage, but if the foe's will is broken, it will also have a 25% chance of being knocked down, forcing it to lose 1 action in the next turn. However, the foe will also have a 25% chance of having its will restored by this attack.)

Once the disk was thrown, Shasonus began running at full speed at the foe, an orange aura surrounding his entire body as he ran at top speed, ending the attack by breaking the sound barrier with every intention to ram into Torment with full force. The force of the attack will send a wave of energy from the hedgehog that will do nothing but give a hint at just how powerful that attack had the potential to be. It certainly didn’t need to be felt if Torment turned out to be hit by the attack head on.

p_1d20+3 (Shasonus used Shadow's Dash attack! Shasonus's DEX allows for a +3 in each roll! Should this attack make contact, not only will it cause 15% Damage, it will also lower the foe's next Dodge roll by -2. However, if Shasonus misses, Shasonus's next dodge roll will be lowered instead.)

“Have you finally realized it yet?” Shasonus spoke in a sinister tone. “You have involved students of my… ahem, Isonus’s school. For that, I have no choice but to inflict punishment of the highest order.” Shasonus chuckled evilly. “You should really be honored, though. You’ll be the first to have their soul torturously removed by yours truly! And yet you fret over the fact that I am a Thoein? My, you must be a masochist, inflicting all of this unneeded distress upon yourself. Regardless, I shall destroy you all the same.”

With that, Shasonus waited for his foe’s next move.

---

Shasonus
Health: 150/150
Shield: 15/50
Status: Out to destroy, and yet something seems to be holding him back ever so slightly...
Cool Downs: Break Them (3), Fate Decided (5), Chaos Spear (3)(Due to a major change in Chaos Spear's design, Spear Pulled will no longer be a factor, but I will still have the 3 post Cool Down because of this sudden change. The current Chaos Spear can be disregarded for all previous posts, but from this moment on, Chaos Spear acts like how it is currently written on Shadow's App.)

1d20+3·1d20+3·1d20+3·1d20+3

[Deleted]

(Given Stariii's unfortunate... absence, this mission will continue on as normal, and the objective Stariii has been tasked with will now be completed.)

Seven runes sealed, seven locales finalized at the cost of Shizuka's being incinerated, and returned to dust, perhaps sent back in time, to be revived and forget this ever happened, as though this all were a bad dream. It was progress at a price. Shasonus was now standing face to face with this... thing, this now stationary, standing being, whose body had taken these hits beforehand. Its will was broken, mind shattered, and body reeling from those hits, and at last, the puppetry came to an end. The tendril of a familiar Elder God slips out from the back of its skull, and the reflection falls to the ground, limp... Shub Illu'aag-raaschk was behind this scheme, puppeteering the poor man in a frail attempt to hold onto his fading foothold in this world.

Now it was up to Shasonus to destroy this thing once and for all. But he wasn't alone... Reflections from all across the now splitting multiverse crack within, and the hellscape that had become the Arcaneum was now lined with Isonuses from across time and space. Different races, species, and even some of the kids were assuming the mantle of Isk'aal-ohnis, just as Shadow was temporarily doing. They cast their gauntlets forward, firing off blast after blast of mental waves at the Elder God, opening him up to be destroyed...

"NnnnOOOOO! YOU FOOLS! I SEALED YOU ALL! I HAD MY PLANS, MY SCHEMES, MY CONQUEST READY! YET YOU ALL HAVE DEFIED ME! I PROMISED YOU SOLACE, UNION TO YOUR LOST FAMILIES! SPINY ONE, JOIN ME, AND LIVE IN THE REALITY YOU SO DESIRE, LET ME ACQUIRE YOUR BODY, AND WITH IT, TEAR THIS PITIFUL WORLD ASUNDER, ONE SOUL AT A TIME UNTIL IT IS NAUGHT BUT ASH!"

The gauntlet's innate learning mechanisms filled Shadow with knowledge, and one simple fact became true - Shub was lying out of every orifice that he had, incapable of holding any sort of modicum of truth. Some vain attempt to try and live again, as he had no power to even hold himself afloat here...

One such man among the lineup of men and women who'd been stolen from their worlds looked to Shadow, an orcish male, quarter human-quarter elf... Delphonse.

"You are not my father, but you carry yourself as he does. Go on. End this. For all of us. We will fade with Him, and... return this land that he afflicted to its normality. Tell my father that I've said that I love him, and... I owe him three gold pieces for our wager."

A small, blue ember sits at the forefront of the mass of tentacle's body, swirling with malignant hatred. 

His soul, ripe to be plucked.

(Shasonus, you know what to do.)

[cynda1]

Shasonus felt… something strange. He felt a presence leave the building even as he stood there, fighting this monster. It didn’t take him long to realize that Shizuka was gone. The artifacts around him ensured he couldn’t afford not to know. This, however, did nothing to disway him. If anything, Shizuka’s departure made it even more necessary for Shasonus to win. Perhaps now he had a reason to do what he previously thought was unthinkable…

...But that was hardly what mattered. Thanks to Shizuka’s efforts, as well as his own, Shasonus leered down his foe, the end drawing near now. Still, the hedgehog took Shadow’s approach, merely giving the monster in front of him a cold glare and opting to say nothing. He intended to get this over with as soon as possible. The fewer words to get in the way, the better.

The hedgehog with a cold stare was only briefly distracted from his goal when he felt the presence appearing from behind him, but these weren’t enemies. The Isonuses, and children of Isonus, were there to support Shasonus in his efforts to qualm this evil Shub. Just when he thought he’d finish this off alone, he received reinforcements when he least expected. If Shadow couldn’t do this mission alone now, perhaps he was never meant to in Li, no matter how he wished he could.

However, something twanged in Shasonus’s heart as he stared into the faces of children he’d lost long ago. For a moment, the hedgehog went misty eyed, remembering some of his fondest memories with all of them. Well, all of Isonus’s memories of them. A tear was hanging onto his left eye as he fought to keep his focus on the matter at hand, though it was almost impossible at that moment. Even for a being such as Shasonus.

Especially for a being such as Shasonus…

Shasonus’s attention was drawn back to Shub, his fruitless words doing nothing to sway the hedgehog. Even without Isonus’s enhancement on Shadow, even if Shub was telling the truth, Shadow would never take such a deal. If Isonus’s children weren’t there, he’d make that clear with words, but Shadow’s nature took over again. Shasonus merely smiled and shook his head with a slight chuckle. What fool did this monster take him for? After putting his school into turmoil, keeping Isonus from his lab, and putting his students in danger, did this fool really believe he was in the mood for making deals or negotiating?

Not a chance.

Shasonus then turned to his… erm, Isonus’s son, Delphonse. How much did his Isonus side wish to lurch onto his son, but the quarter Elf made certain to remind Shasonus on what he was. He wasn’t Isonus, no. No matter how hard part of him wanted to be at this very moment, no, he wasn’t Delphonse’s father. But that didn’t mean that he didn’t feel a sense of pride at his son’s words, or such emotions that the held of tear in his eye finally fell down his face.

“Of course, son…” Shasonus couldn’t keep from saying even after everything he knew to be true. “You have my word.” With those simple words spoken, the tear vanished in a blink, as the hedgehog turned to the matter at hand, staring down at Shub with nothing but cold hatred.

As Shub was being prepared for his demise, the so called “Thoein” stood over the monster. The 3’3’’ hedgehog was suddenly the tallest person in the room as he held his stance over the evil Shub. The cold stare transformed into a sinisterly slimy smile. Oh, how he was going to enjoy this. Shasonus would not acknowledge this lowly being with another word. He would allow the creature to plead for his life however he liked, but the hedgehog would not acknowledge as he surrounded himself with a power.

He squeezed his hand into a tight fist before raising his hand up and plunging it into the creatures core and grip onto the blue flame that resided. Shasonus made certain that creature felt every inch of the beings anger and hatred for the being. Himself, Isonus, and Shadow the Hedgehog… Shub would no doubt feel the force of the hatred from all three of them.

cfgUkkmRp_1d20+3 (Shasonus used Isonus's Rip Their Soul! It's time to see this pile of garbage turn to ash...)

With the strength of his other selves, the artifacts, and his children, Shasonus attempted to pull the soul out with full force… With this motion, the school he was fighting to protect would finally be safe.1d20+3

[Deleted]

Dust and ash now coat the ground following the creature's massive roar in pain as his soul was stolen, the others fade from view, and with that, Shub Illu'aag-raaschk was no more. Shadow's powers are cut, and the gauntlet splits open, falling to the floor limp and broken, the fingers worn and the casing busted entirely. His knowledge that he once held is now entirely forgotten, but Shadow's experiences were still fresh as ever, burned into the mind no doubt. Another potential god dead, and with it, the poor bastards that came here were now trapped in this world. The children and other Isonuses were... gone to say the least, vanished. All that remained was the Blackened Looking Glass, shattered, and the reflection was nowhere to be found. It was likely on the loose, to sew havoc elsewhere in the Life Sphere.

What mattered though, was that people here were safe. The creatures that were loose were the last of the beings of Elaam'a to make the crossing, and Shadow likely had... a lot of emotions to sort through. Within a few seconds, he was able to completely dissociate from the Thaumaturge's mind, and with that, disband attachment to anything that may have happened. Unless of course, he wanted to keep his own attachment to the notion of fatherhood. Unlikely, but you never know.


MISSION COMPLETE!
SUB OBJECTIVES FINISHED!
Please return to Life Sphere Police HQ to redeem your rewards.