Session Start: Tue Jan 01 18:46:23 2008
Session Ident: #lunar-iog2
* Logging for #lunar-iog2 started
* Storen changes topic to '-= Chapter 63.3: Balancer | Location: China, Changan Gate | Pool: 8 MXP =- http://storen.rpgcafe.net/IoG/'
<Storen> == Lude Start ==
<Storen> Some time after the audience was concluded, the group was fed and quartered in the barracks for now, in preparation of their trip to see the leader of the Vile Empire. But before then, Mikel had some unfinished business with Marshal xenobia to attend to, a suspicion that ehr strange powers could prove useful in his further study of harnassing his own wild energies...
<Storen> After wandering for some time looking for her, Mikel comes upon the door of what looks like a lab of some sort. There's lots of the pictographs on the walls and floor and in the middle, xenobia is sitting in a chair cross-legged and leafing through a dusty book.
<Storen> << cushion rather. >>
<Storen> There's definitely the sensation of a great force pulsing through the markings, very similar to what you felt from the ward in the cell and even the paint on your own body to a degree,
* Mikel peers through the door for the moment, having skillfully avoided being asked about the state of the courtyard that the trio had borrowed for their own practice. He studies the room and Xenobia for a moment before nodding to himself and stepping through. He raps the end of the staff against the ground a few times to announce himself, reasonably convinced she doesn't have a whip this time.
<Storen> No, she actually doesn't have a whip this time, though with her it's hard to be entirely sure. The curvacious witch looks up from her study, speaking in a vaguely amused tone. "So, you actually came to visit, Mikel? You're either here for pain or enlightenment. Perhaps both?"
* Mikel gives Xenobia a tired look. "Enlightenment, please. I'm not a fan of pain."
<Storen> [Xenobia] I'm just toying with you. There was actually a very good reason I had to make you bleed.
* Mikel raises an eyebrow. "...this ought to be good. Why's that?"
<Storen> She closes the book harshly and stands up, folding her arms beneath her bound bosom, the blackrobe not covering much of her front torso, covered as it is with multicolored tatoo's alternating with milky white skin.
<Storen> [Xenobia] You wanted to know one secret of my magic. It's actually in the blood itself...
<Storen> [Xenobia] Normally, I can resonate with the brands of a Vile member's bloodline to cause all sorts of effects, both good and bad. But for you, that doesn't work... so I needed a bit of your blood and a regeant to make a marking to seal you properly.
<Storen> [Xenobia] Since you would probably eventually overload the simple ward that worked on everyone else due to your draconic and shadowy energies...
* Mikel mutters. "Who knew it was going to cause me that much trouble."
<Storen> The slightly sinister smirks. "You really are a storm that is barely contained in your flesh. I find in intriguing. But it's a great danger to yourself and others."
<Storen> << er sinister woman >>
<Mikel> How's that? Only time I've run into anything major is with the spell that ended up breaking things until I got it fixed.
<Storen> [Xenobia] So you've actually "broken"? Hoho... what exactly happened?
* Mikel mulls for a moment. "...Maybe I should demostrate. Nothing willforce draining here, right?"
<Storen> [Xenobia] No, in fact, these wards actually protect the room from rampant powers.
<Storen> [Xenobia] It's a place where I experiment with studies into foreign magic.
<Mikel> ...well, better than calling it barbaric like everyone else here seems to.
<Storen> [Xenobia] The more power you cast off, the more the symbols absorb and then channel it back into you!
<Storen> [Xenobia] It's an endless feedback loop.
<Storen> Xenobia laughs. "Everyone else is compartmentalized. Only people such as I can experiment with such forbidden things."
* Mikel raps the staff against the ground as blue and yellow light starts swirling around him. "You'd be surprised, actually." That's all the warning she gets before the adept's engufled in swirling water and thunder, bits of ice and electricty sparking off before two Mikels step away from the fading storm. One formed of bright electricty, the other of swirling dark waters.
* Mikel` (Zack@cpe-70-95-238-100.san.res.rr.com) has joined #lunar-iog2
<Storen> Mikel invokes Gemini Storm! His split personality emerges, though it's greeted with an almost euphoric rush of strength in this place, as even the castoff willforce used to split the two rushes back into his body, channeled along the patterns with a dull throb.
* Mikel` glances up, actually smirking instead of his electric counterpart for once. "Gemini Storm. Probably my best little trick."
<Storen> Xenobia claps.
<Storen> [Xenobia] Impressive. So, this is your strength! To not reinforce your body but instead to dissapate the two entities inside into seperate beings?
<Mikel> That'd be the long and short of it.
<Storen> [Xenobia] While I'm interested in how you can perform such a feat and still retain your identity... is that the secret of this other shadow lurking in your body?
* Mikel snickers, waving a hand. "That's the fix that lets us recombine without any issues, actually. He can probably explain it better though." With that he just jerks a thumb towards the watery Mikel, who's been looking at some of the lab things.
<Mikel`> Higher order duality. Pay attention more.
<Storen> Xenobia's reddish eyes glance back and forth between the two elemental projections.
<Mikel> Water versus Thunder and then Star versus Shadow.
<Storen> [Xenobia] Yes, so that's it. And just how did you come by this duality? It is not normal, unless you foreigners are more aliens than I thought.
<Mikel> Water and Thunder is how we've always been. Can't use anything else worth a damn except maybe a hint of Star and Shadow now. Star and Shadow was when we were put back together by the Star Dragon and Niri after we couldn't put ourselves back together the old fashioned way.
<Storen> [Xenobia] ...Star Dragon...
<Storen> Xenobia looks honestly surprised. "So, that's the story."
<Mikel`> The summary, anyways.
<Storen> [Xenobia] That aside. You are still unstable like this. You have great power but your ethereal bodies are no stronger than your old one!
<Storen> [Xenobia] That is not how such a transmogrification of the spirit should work.
<Mikel> That is so not a word.
<Mikel`> It is. Shut up.
<Storen> Xenobia laughs.
<Storen> [Xenobia] Haha... can you even cooperate properly? You're just setting yourself up for more dramatic failure, my boy.
* Mikel` looks at Xenobia. "We can work together when push comes to shove. And as far as I know there's only one other person who's had something even close to this happen. It didn't end nearly as well."
<Storen> [Xenobia] The Vile philosophy is to adapt and become stronger to survive. In that light, I can't help but frown upon your methods.
<Storen> [Xenobia] Have you ever considered another option? Instead of splitting into competing factions, you could merge your energies more completely and ehance your own body.
<Storen> [Xenobia] That's what's holding you back from true power, after all.
* Mikel mutters something about being pretty damn sure they could take Xenobia.
* Mikel` hrms, ignoring the electric counterpart for now. "Recombine in an altered fashion?"
<Storen> Xenobia raises her eyebrow. "Oh, do you want to have a ltitle ephemeral threesome?" She grins, almost encouraging a fight.
<Storen> [Xenobia] ...perhaps if I destroyed a bit of that individual pride you could see a bit more clearly what I'm talking about.
* Mikel` lets out a bit of a sigh. "You're going to provoke him and then we're going to wreck this place and then... forget it. I don't suppose this place helps with suppressing lethal harm too."
<Storen> [Xenobia] Haha... you're so easy to get a rise out of... but more to the point: if you have the will to seperate yourself, why can't you merge together? There must surely be one thing that can bring both minds together -- or is it a person? Hoho.
<Storen> [Xenobia] You need a catalyst like that, even though i probably could force you together myself for awhile.
* Mikel may or may not be looking like he's spoiling for a fight as he forms a staff of electricty. "Hope your pride destroying is better than torture... oh come on." He lets out a sigh as the topic turns away from a fight before giving Xenobia a bit of a look. ".../force/ us?"
<Storen> [Xenobia] I've already proven I can use your own energy to bind you. What if I just went a little farther and chained you to each other tighter than any mere body could?
<Storen> [Xenobia] I've already sampled your blood... i can manipulate you now...
* Mikel` speaks as if talking about the rain. "I'd just show you my second best trick, that's all. It hurts like a bitch."
<Storen> [Xenobia] ...are you scared that you might actually learn something from a little more suffering? I'm certainly not afraid of a little pain; our people's entire existence is a result of enduring hardship. You're obviously no stranger to this concept, Mikel... I can tell... you want power, don't you?
<Mikel> We don't approve of people screwing with how we work without permission and proper supervision.
* Mikel` chuckles. "Well, yes. Growing more powerful is the only way to accomplish what we have ahead of us."
<Storen> [Xenobia] Yes, we all need more power. ANd while this arrangement gives you more of it, freed as you are from the bonds of a single vessel, you're actually only deluding yourself that it's the ultimate expression of it. You cast off the body and the blood.. but it's still there... and should you falter, you'll be snapped back to that reality quickly, mm?
<Mikel> Duality's hard to maintain when one's put out of commission, yes.
<Storen> [Xenobia] Then you're actually worse off than before! In such a state, it would be child's play to finish you off -- it is as I said before, you're making yourself more vulnerable in exchange for the power to act freely. But what if you could have it both ways?
* Mikel repeats his previous muttering about being able to take Xenobia.
<Mikel`> That'd... be pretty handy.
<Storen> [Xenobia] Merge your liberated existences into a new body, on a higher order than your old one. Then you would have more strength and none of your current weaknesses.
<Mikel`> Interesting. Of course, this requires a trick of some sort, right?
<Storen> Xenobia laughs again.
* DooM_GazE (~doomgaze@staff.lunarnet.org) has joined #lunar-iog2
* ChanServ sets mode: -o DooM_GazE
<Storen> [Xenobia] Naturally. I think it's possible, with the proper bindings. I can already feel both of you, meaning you both have Mikel's blood in you equally...
<Mikel> Why do I have a bad feeling about where this is headed...
<Storen> [Xenobia] The question is, even if such a trick worked, it doesn't mean you could accomplish it on your own without help at this stage. It would require study into how our magic rituals operate.
<Mikel`> That, we wouldn't mind... though I have the feelign there isn't enough time for that.
<Mikel`> << feeling* >>
<Storen> [Xenobia] I get the feeling you're not the most studious of the bunch. You're operating on pure emotion... love.. hatred... isn't that right?
* Mikel` raises an eyebrow. "...perceptive."
<Storen> [Xenobia] Such a stressor could force you to have to up your power level to adapt to new challenges! Then, it could even happen naturally! But to even know you have that option, first it must be forced upon you in a short span of time if studying isn't an option.
* Mikel frowns. "Which is where you come in, I suppose."
<Storen> [Xenobia] That depends.. we can do this a few ways. But something tells me you're not going to be a good boy and lie down again.
<Mikel> You play too rough on first dates, sorry. Option number 2?
* Mikel` gives the electric one a bit of a look but remains quiet.
<Storen> [Xenobia] I'm hurt, Mikel... I thought you liked agressive women? *she chuckles darkly* Isn't that what your girlfriend is thinking in your head?
<Storen> Xenobia draws a hand across her flesh slightly, and one of the lines of the tatoos glows red and peels off into a bloody colored whip.
<Mikel`> ...now you're pushing it.
* Mikel` flicks a hand, forming a staff of black ice as the whip comes out.
<Storen> [Xenobia] That's it. I want your blood boiling a little more! Then you'll be ready to accept it...
<Storen> >> COMBAT! 
<Storen> >> Gemini Twins vs Xenobia! MP charges in this room are ignored for the battle.
* Mikel steps forward while his watery alter ego steps back, smirking. "Payback time!"
<Storen> >> Mikel is both affected by Jolt!
<Storen> [Xenobia] Yes, you want revenge, don't you.. hate me..! Feel that emotion drive you to greater desire of power. It's that desire that can unite you!
<Storen> >> Xenobia prepares to double cast. First spell is a support magic centered on ehrself, and the second a hex directed at Thunder Mikel!
* Mikel waves his staff, chains of thunder beginning to form. "...this pegged the Prophetess, so..."
* Mikel` smirks as a ball of water begins to form. "...should work fine on you."
<Storen> >> Thunder Mikel!
* Mikel simply /hurls/ the staff at Xenobia, the thing turning into more chains that seek to restrain and bind her. "Let's see how you like being tied down!"
<Storen> >> Expecting a Shock is cast! The somewhat surprised Xenobia is forcefully tied down by the magical bonds and paralyzed. FREEZE for 3 rounds! "Haha.. liar... you do like this sort of game..."
<Storen> >> Water Mikel!
<Mikel`> I think the saying is do unto others as you'd like done to yourself.
* Mikel` snaps his fingers, sending a stream of water forward to engulf Xenobia and then wrap back around to flow past him! "That's what that book said, anyways." With that he reaches in to see what comes out!
<Storen> >> Mikel's watery attack drenches the sorceress for 201 damage. His hand reaches in and grabs something... much to his chagrin, she has little to actually take but the clothes on her back, and when they don't budge he is left holding onto of her warm and supple flesh instead, which quickly slips out of his grasp. The witch doesn't at all seem to mind either! Nothing to steal!
<Mikel`> ...
* Mikel just looks over at the watery one and then sighs.
<Storen> >> Xenobia's automatic "Survival" kicks in and her status is cleared! "So, enjoying yourself?"
<Storen> >> Round 2 
<Mikel> ...Oh, that's an annoying trick.
* Mikel preps another round of chains, shaking his head. "You do enjoy this stuff. Figures. Just. figures."
* Mikel` banishes the staff, motes of blue light beginning to gather in his watery palm.
<Storen> [Xenobia] While I'm touched, that's not the way to accomplish our little goal... hehe...
<Storen> >> Xenobia prepares to double cast! prepares a Hex on Thunder Mikel once again, along with a flash of darkness that ups her speed drastically.
<Storen> >> Battle Phase.
<Storen> >> Xenobia uses Vampiric Speed! Her primary action is made premptive! She casts Vermillion Curse on Thunder Mikel ahead of his actions!
<Storen> [Xenobia] Remember I said that I already control your blood...!
<Mikel> Hmmm. Shit.
<Storen> >> Thunder Mikel is shot through with pains that wrack his ethereal form, which was thought to be immune to such corporeal powers. Slowly the faded cuts appear on his body and a marking of red appears to forcibly chain him down and suck his power! FREEZE 2 rounds, POIS 2 rounds!
* Mikel lets out a howl, falling to a knee as the summoned chains start to fizzle as he ends up held instead.
<Storen> >> Thunder is paralyzed, Water Mikel!
<Storen> [Xenobia] See, your still a prisoner of your body no matter what form you take.
<Storen> << you're >>
* Mikel` shakes his head, staring at Xenobia. "Let me return the favor, then!" With that he springs over the kneeling thunder self, the motes of blue suddenly giving birth to a wicked looking serrated blade of black ice. "Feel your own blood betray and defeat you! Cold Blood!" With that he drives the sword down and into her, freezing her blood and sharpening it into blades that continue to grow!
<Storen> >> Mikel casts Cold Blood! Xenobia lets go a howl as her blood is turned into painful knives stabbing her internals. 487 damage! POISON 2 rounds!
<Storen> [Xenobia] Ahaha... you.. have some blood rites of your own!
* Mikel` gives the blade a twist, smirking as he springs back. "You'll find I'm just full of surprises."
<Storen> >> Thunder Mikel recives 52 damage from Poison. Xenobia suffers 85 damage from Poison. Her status is auto cleared!
<Storen> >> Mikel is FREEZE/POIS for 1 more round.
<Storen> >> Round 3 
<Storen> [Xenobia] It looks like I'll have to be a bit more... rough... my pet.
<Storen> >> Xenobia double casts, prepares to speed up again, targets Thunder Mikel with a slightly different, debilitating blood attack.
* Mikel` shakes his head, motes of blue forming once again. "You keep calling me that. Do I look like I /have/ a collar or and everything?"
<Mikel> << collar on* >>
<Storen> >> Battle Phase.
<Storen> [Xenobia] But it's not enough to bind you, I have to show you your weakness...
* Mikel would make a witty retort but he's busy being frozen.
<Storen> >> Xenobia uses Vampiric Speed! Acts premptively on primary action... uses Kali's Inferno!
<Storen> >> Sproutsing firey whips in what appears briefly like six arms, she brutally assaults Mikel, ehr strikes causing his own blood to boil up and torture him in excruciating pain!
<Storen> >> The watery aspect might've dodged the worst of it, but the electrified persona has no defenses agaionst it.... 656 damage! KO! Mikel's Gemini Storm breaks!
* Mikel` (Zack@cpe-70-95-238-100.san.res.rr.com) has left #lunar-iog2
* Mikel gets basically torn apart by the spell, thunderbolts ripping about this way and that was the watery one dissipates with a howl of pain. Water strikes thunder and slowly rejoins back into Mikel... who's staggering with blood flowing from multiple burnt wounds... and motes of blue still gathering as he stares at Xenobia with a wild eyed look.
<Storen> [Xenobia] Aha, so it does cause both of you to feel the pain. You are joined after all.
<Storen> >> Mikel!
* Mikel doesn't respond, simply rushing forward as staff is abandoned in favor of the sword. Ice grows around it as he drives it forward in a vicious stab, blades of ice growing and slicing once again!
<Storen> >> Mikel's anger filled Cold Blood tears at the sorceress for 588 damage! POIS 2 rounds! She grits her teeth at the painful ice in comparison to her fire, falling to a knee and panting in what can only be masochistic pleasure.
<Storen> >> KO!
<Storen> [Xenobia] Ahaha... it was even stronger than before. You're already learning!
* Mikel yanks the sword out, almost whipping it around for a follow up coup de grace before some semblance of control snaps back. He takes a step back, grimacing as the pain of the injuries hit as well. "...told you I could take you, witch."
<Storen> Mikel notices as he steps back the marks she summoned on his body haven't gone away. They are still pulsing with a red energy.
* Mikel glances down before spitting her with a rather furious glare. "Explain."
<Storen> It isn't paint or even blood. It's really his own willforce leaking from phantasmal wounds of the soul leeking out and wrapping around him like a warm vice.
<Storen> [Xenobia] ...it looks like trying to use my curses on you has had an interesting side effect.
* Mikel hefts the sword, turning it so the flat will be what hit if he swings. "/Explain/."
<Storen> [Xenobia] I cut one of your projections, and when you forcibly rejoined, it's begun to bleed into the other...
<Storen> [Xenobia] I've... ehehe.. started the process for you...
<Storen> Xenobia seems to be treating this like an enjoyable game, even thought her subject is furious.
<Storen> [Xenobia] Now if you have the desire and the catalyst, your two halves will have to merge to survive!
<Storen> [Xenobia] Otherwise the pain may become too great to bear as two entities.
* Mikel lowers the sword for the moment... then kicks up his staff into a free hand and swings it around to smack her in the side. "Maybe, but I'm /not/ some lab rat for you to experiment on. Got it?"
<Storen> Xenobia is smacked in ehr weakened state, skittering back a bit and wiping some blood from her mouth as she glares at him.
<Storen> [Xenobia] ...you should thank me, Mikel. I may have just saved your life and you don't yet realize it.
<Mikel> Chances are we'll be returning the favor when we deal with Leah, so you'll excuse me if I don't feel a lot of gratitude. I don't care much for people who screw with how I work without knowing what's going to happen.
<Storen> The marks that were summoned gradually fade away
<Storen> Xenobia just laughs lowly, taking a deep breath in as she drains power to heal herself from the marks that flow everywhere.
* Mikel finally sheathes the sword and takes a seat, snapping his fingers as some rain begins to fall upon him to patch up his own wounds. "...what's so funny?"
<Storen> [Xenobia] You lecture me about screwing with you, yet you're probably the worst nto your own self.
<Storen> << unto >>
<Mikel> Maybe, but I would wager I have a more in depth understanding of how I work than someone who's only known me for a day and spent a fair amount of that whipping me. You're helpful, but don't pull that kind of stunt again.
<Storen> [Xenobia] Dispel the hex if you like Mikel, but you may come to enjoy what new creature can be born of your stormy soul... I know the glimpse I've had was quite... enjoyable...
* Mikel gives Xenobia a look. "...you really need help, you know that?"
<Mikel> You got off the damn spell more than anything else. And it is supposed to tear you up from the inside.
<Storen> [Xenobia] I've suffered all my life... what is one more day? If anything, I haven't felt the rush in my own blood for years. So, I'm thanking you.
* Mikel raises an eyebrow. "Take a vacation."
<Storen> [Xenobia] Go destroy a certain dragon-riding bitch and I just might, Mikel.
<Mikel> We'll deal with her, but her fate's up to us. I can arrange for you to have vacation for medical reasons. We have a doctor on call and everything.
* Amy is now known as AmyAway
<Storen> Xenobia then returns to her sitting position on the cushion. "You're beginning to bore me. Go to your room before I play with you some more to relieve my foul mood."
* Mikel smirks, getting to his feet. "And here I thought you were enjoying yourself."
<Storen> It would appear the thought of Leah has somehow ruined her previous enjoyment of the moment.
* Mikel ponders if another assualt spell would be frowned upon. Probably.
* Mikel shakes his head and turns to leave. "Get some actual clothes, too. Theft spells are suppose to be able to steal /something/."
<Storen> [Xenobia] ...and here I thought you wanted a little taste... tsk.
<Mikel> You make a horrible first impression, sorry.
* Mikel steps on out.
<Storen> Once Mikel has departed, Marshal Xenobia spreads herself out on the patterned floor, her blonde hair coming a bit undone from the fight. "That boy needs to discover what he really wants in this world."
<Storen> == Lude Done! ==
Session Close: Tue Jan 01 21:46:36 2008