[Deleted]

The smell of floor cleaner and air freshener had still lingered in the halls of the Arcaneum for some time. A secret lab-turned-classroom beneath the Academy, set in motion for teaching and experimenting alike. Today, the latter was occurring. Isonus had set the tables, and prepared the room for the two test subjects to appear. A large, runic cube sits at the epicenter of this stone altar deep beneath the school, alternating its many cubes inside its total shape, moving around as though it were a rapid-moving children's puzzle. As soon as the two step in, a bolt of energy courses through each of them! It further powers them up, sending a surge of Essentus through their veins, and into their bodies for a time..! Isonus, of course, stands behind a large apparatus of shielding matrixes, and a console of buttons. Seems he was shielding himself from something dangerous.

"Welcome, you two! To the SIMULACRUM!"

iVNhVMQIp_1d7p_1d7
(Krystal, your Fire Blaster was augmented! Alternate Use is Fire Swathe! A large, AoE blast that turns it into a heavy, 24% Fireball capable of guaranteed Burn! It has 3 turns of cooldown, tied to Fire Blaster.)
(Arrow, you got a new move for the duration of this mission!)

Thaumaturge's Tonfa: [12% Medium STR] A spectral tonfa strike swung out as a phantom blast. It cannot be used anywhere else except the end of the turn, where a Tonfa attack was made. This attack does not suffer a Haste Penalty, and can be used as a fourth attack. [2 turn cooldown]

"The device you see before you is the Augmentus - A device I created myself. While in its presence, your bodies are filled to the brim with Essentus of the main elements, to be dissolved as your body and soul see fit. Whenever you're ready, I'll begin simulating enemies for you to fight."

Isonus flicks a few levers and prepares the room to be filled with enemies. The Augmentus, suspended by its own levitation, flies up, and the pillars within the room slide aside. The room was entirely bare now, white tiles matching a linoleum floor on all sides of them. They're screens, and seem to begin projecting some sort of forest scene..! It was a hologram chamber!

1d7·1d7

[heirtothemonado]

Krystal walked through the doors of the Arcaneum, the chemical smell of cleaning products assaulting her nose fairy quickly. Well, that made sense, Isonus probably had a lot to clean up after what had happened here. Speaking of the Thaumaturge, Krystal didn't see him anywhere. Odd. Usually he'd be there to greet her. She did see Arrow, though.

"Hi Arrow!" Krystal greeted "I see Isonus has recruited you for this testing as well. I hope we can pull this off....Speaking of which, where is he?" she asked, looking around the room. She spied the cube on the alter, and stepped toward it. Only then did she see Isonus behind that shield, but she only had a split second to say anything before a bolt of Essentus courses through her. It...didn't really hurt, but she felt...something. Some kind of new power flowed within her, that she couldn't place. 

"...Alright. I trust you, Isonus" Krystal says, looking toward Arrow to see his reaction to all of this, before taking out her staff. If there were enemies to fight, then she was prepared to fight her way out. "You ready, Arrow? Then let's do this."

---

Krystal
Health: 140/140
Shield: 45/45
Status: Ready to Fight

[Arrow Rinehart]

The five tail eagerly approached the grounds of the Arcaneum, tails swishing and eyes sharp as he headed in on his way. Something about the chance to help out Isonus had left him thrilled, a bit overeager in some means, but mostly focused on doing a good deed. Well, he was counting on it being such, as naturally he knew the mysterious innovator was not likely to seek outside help unless it was needed. Even then, the term used to draw his attention was one thing that he welcomed, a lab first and then perhaps a greeting? The excitement coursed through him once again while his eyes sharpened, upon a familiar face he perked up. "Krystal? Oh Hey! I didn't suspect you were one he recruited, but yes he did ask me to help him out."


The words there also short-lived, as he heard something, looked up and spied Isonus. They were being welcomed, before something had zapped the pair. The energy? Unknown to him, raced through his body and as the Essentus performed its duty, empowering him with something strange...something new. His eyes, normally foggy blue, had gained a small sharpness behind the usually well placed veil in his irises. "That...whoa...what a rush...I'm ready. I haven't felt such a charge of energy in some time."


Though at this time, he'd managed to contain the shock to the soul, the surge doing its duty as his right fist lit up and held a sheen as he drew his pair of tonfas with a smile and a nod. Responding in kind to Krystal's gesture on the action to be ahead of them. "Yes, I'm ready for this, let's take on whatever foes may yet appear!"

[Deleted]

"Remember, friends. I'm making us a nice, hot dinner after this. So fight hard!"

Isonus cackled behind his protective shielding as the room fully converted into a virtual battleground. Several 'liberated' creatures are dropped in, who rise up and glare down the new grouping of possible prey. Three yellow blurs are dropped down, who rise up to reveal small, stumpy critters..!

"I found these beings on the internet. Funny how that works. I hear they're called Mettaurs. Be wary, friends. Those hardhats are indestructible. If one hides under it, you'll need to target its friends, or grab and throw it!"

nhc_Yb1Tp_1d2
(Players win Initiative!)

Caught off guard, the four critters shriek in some sort of induced rage, throwing their pickaxes wildly around them, clearly ready to brawl. The Mettuars begin a forward advance, but have no time to attack, giving our fair heroes a chance to take them on first with their new skills!

"..and don't worry. These are merely replicas. The real ones are kept in storage."


METTAUR A: 40%
Status: Fine
METTAUR B: 40%
Status: Fine
METTAUR C: 40%
Status: Fine
METTAUR D: 40%
Status: Fine

1d2

[Arrow Rinehart]

"Dinner? Really? Wow, I can't wait to try it! Ha...I can hardly imagine, you must have some great recipes being as focused as you are." Arrow briefly went off on a tangent and found himself mulling over some thoughts of food. Though the tod had eaten before coming here in preparation for the exercise ahead, this was going to be a test of strength, talent, and skill. With that, he turned his attention back to the Mettaurs and pointed his tonfa at them, holding the first one and spinning it around to build some momentum. "Well then, Shall we Krystal? I think we've left these little friends of ours waiting a little too long. I think its time to get serious. It is an honor, so let's have some fun!" boisterous and with a smile, the fox turned his attention fully to their much awaited foes.

Looking at the Mettaurs with more focus and in fact, a gleam in his eye, the two defensive weapons spun around rapidly, before both guard ends were settled under his forearms as he took stance. "Sorry to keep you bunch waiting! You came here for a battle, not to hear me prattle."

---

Battle Start!

Arrow's next maneuver was to dart left and then while in mid motion, whip his right tonfa forward after a brief spin of his body to gather the proper momentum. Of course his martial arts practice assured that he lost no speed on the mighty spin, a strike coming down with both momentum and hopefully, well delivered force. "Hiyah!"

144OtkwQp_1d20+1Muaji Tonfa Strike: [DMG 17%] @ Mettaur A- Delivering the strike with some well aimed pace, perhaps due to catching their opponents off guard? He'd come down while bearing the first blow with determination and confidence in the blow itself. Now he could only hope for the best of his attack and that being that he'd hit the target.

p_1d20+1Martial Arts Strike [DMG 8%] @ Mettaur A- Proceeding to follow up his attack with the aimed blow, a rather slow tail thrust was performed. This was one abysmal by Arrow's standards. He'd imagined his posturing was off and the momentum did not help him.

p_1d20+1Tail Sweep: [DMG 18%] @ Mettaur A- Though the sloppy strike was given, he spun his body low, utilizing that same momentum and whipped his tails down in a rapid successive strike. Even if the first hit, he felt a tiny bit better with sweeping all five tails of his low. Though the attention to the chances of success? for him with such a poor strike, was low on his mind. Still, it was done, he'd see if it scored a blow.

1d20+1·1d20+1·1d20+1