Training Log 01: Shiny new powers

[crypddyd]

It's been a day- or something similar to it. After all, time seemed to be a weak thing here. But it's long enough that the pounding in his head from the attack under the Founation is... manageable. His ribs still ache, but he's not going to let that stop him- if Rei needed them to fight, then he would fight. Especially since he now remembered HOW to fight- a weak memory that came with a few other things. Like that fact that he might be royalty(?), but more useful was his skills with a weapon.

So he goes hunting for a big open area- and every other Executor he sees he mentions his intention: to train and test out these new powers. Eventually he finds what he's looking for: what probably was supposed to be a park, though it was slightly twisted like everything else here. But it was open enough that he probably wouldn't hit any non-combatants. A quick switch to his Executor uniform, massive black armor with a fur lined cloak, and he spins his bone spear like an expert.

How strange to have this knowledge but almost no context. Well, it is what it is. He wonders if any of the others will join him?

((ooc: feel free to tag amoung yourselves as well!))

Comments

[pioailurophobia]

[Kingslayer is at the training grounds bright and early, their gauntleted fists and greaved feet flying through the air with power and precision. While there's no technique to their wild blows, no strict martial arts form they're following, it's still apparent that dodging them would be hard, blocking them would be harder, and it would hurt like hell getting hit by them.

Then Kingslayer slams their fist into their palm, small streaks of red lightning begin coursing across their armor, and... that's it. Huh. It's certainly less flashy than most transformations. Whatever the case, Kingslayer holds their hand out, and in flash of that same red lightning a massive red blade appears in their hand. They grab it with both hands and assume a fighting stance, and-

Doesn't move.

Kingslayer just stares down their own sword. If their brow was visible right now, it would certainly be furrowed.]

Unleash Noble Phantasm.

[Nothing.]

I said, UNLEASH NOBLE PHANTASM!

[Still nothing.]

Ugh, fine. True Name:

...

True Name:

...

[They slap their forehead and groan.]

GAH, why can't I remember?!

[After whatever that was, Kingslayer resigns themself to practicing the normal way, and begins carving and cleaving through the air with their massive sword as if it was natural as breathing. When another Executor nears, they tilt their head to the side and beckon them over, their voice somehow smirking.]

Oi, you up for a bout?

[schardynfreude]

What, dare I ask, is a Noble Phantasm? [Aside from what it says on the box, he supposes. The ghost of a duke, perhaps?] Something you've remembered?

[pioailurophobia]

It's my weapon, dumbass. Something I'm remembered wielding; it's a part of my legend or whatever. [They sigh, rubbing their faceplate.] It's supposed to be really powerful, but that's only if I can remember its damn name!

By God, this entire situation is just too weird. What kind of idiot summons a Servant into the afterlife, anyways?!

[schardynfreude]

Goodness, no need to be rude. [You're already lingering on the edges of what could be a shit list, Tank With No Plan.] It sounds as though you remembered quite a bit to do with your life, even if the specifics yet elude you.

[pioailurophobia]

It's kinda ironic, honestly. [Huh, Kingslayer knows what that word means? That's surprising.] I'm a Heroic Spirit, a legend who carved their name into history with fire and blood and was so renowned that I'm remembered by enough of humanity to make my way to the Throne of Heroes, but here I am and I can't even recall my own name!

I swear, when I find whoever organized this farce, I'm throttling them Grail or no Grail.

[schardynfreude]

That's...quite the story. [He sounds genuinely impressed, for whatever it's worth.] Alas, memory seems to be a fickle thing here. Perhaps with time, we'll recall ourselves as we were, name and all.

What should we call you, in place of an actual name?

short tag seemed appropriate

[pioailurophobia]

Kingslayer. You?

[schardynfreude]

...Ah.

[Hm! Hm.]

You may call me, apparently, Your Majesty. I do hope this is nothing prophetic. Or...an indicator of our histories.

[pioailurophobia]

Well, you don't look like a king worth killing, so you're probably safe.

[Was that a compliment or an insult???]

[beknights]

[ Seal's reaction to an obvious challenge is near-instant, something that indicates they've been well trained to respond to such things.

Their weapon, a blade that appears to be nothing but metal, appears in their hand as they settle into what is unmistakably a combat stance.

There's a sense of tension in the air. Seal is watching them, waiting, giving off the impression that they could spring from immobility to action in one swift moment. ]

[pioailurophobia]

AHAHAHA, then let's do this! [Kingslayer readies a fighting stance, primed to... no, no, they're just charging directly at Seal immediately. Figures.]

GYAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!

[Kingslayer swings they massive blade in a horizontal cleave with devastating power and-

Follow through on their momentum, spinning all the way around to deliver a brutal spin kick aimed at Seal's head and coming from their armless side.

Honor is for chumps anyways.]

[beknights]

[ Seal, by contrast, doesn't move until Kingslayer moves, and then they raise their weapon and charge.

Sparks fly as they bring their weapon to bear against Kingslayer's own; their head drops a split second before the kick connects as they duck almost to the ground.

Their reflexes are certainly quick, but they still take up a great deal more space than Kingslayer does, by virtue of their height difference. To solve the problem of not being able to swing their nail and utilise its full arc, they lunge straight at their opponent instead - aiming to catch them full in the torso with their horns. ]

[pioailurophobia]

[By pure instinct (no capital I), Kingslayer thrusts their knee upward to intercept Seal's tackle by kneeing him right in the chest. While they're reacting to that, Kingslayer rears their head back and smashes it into Seal's without a moment of hesitation. After all, with the helmet they're pretty hardheaded themself, and they also have horns.]

[beknights]

[ There's pain, certainly, as Kingslayer hits that mass of scar tissue that makes up most of their chest now, clashes against them with a headbutt. But it feels like a scratch, somehow, compared to what their body still remembers, what's burned into them with scars both visible and invisible.

Seal doesn't break their momentum, using the upward motion of being kneed in the chest to bring their nail up in a sweeping arc, finally able to free it from its awkward position down by their side. They twist their head in an attempt to lock horns with them, supernatural chitin scraping against metal as they refuse to relent. ]

[pioailurophobia]

[Kingslayer grits their teeth as the nail scrapes across their armor. Despite the weapon missing their flesh(?), the force of the blow and the shock it sends across the armor hurt.

But it also gives them an opportunity. Kingslayer locks horns with Seal, then wraps their arms around their torso.]

Gotcha!

[And slams them into the ground with a suplex.]

[beknights]

[ The suplex is wholly new to them, and something they have no real defense against. It startles them enough that they use the power they'd only just become aware of on the moment of impact.

In a rush of sound and darkness, they vanish abruptly and reappear a little way away, now the right way up (even if they are lying on the ground, still a bit dazed).

It doesn't stop them for long, though. They push themselves to their feet, cloak swirling as they shake their head to clear it. ]

[pioailurophobia]

...AHAHAHAHA!

So that's what we're doing, huh?

FINE BY ME!

[Seal can feel Kingslayer's malicious grin as the red lightning that's been coursing across their armor in small bursts grows into a full-blown storm of energy as their opponent recovers. With a single, titanic motion, they take off, propelling themself forward using the storm in a head-on flying charge towards Seal at ludicrous speed.

Just as Seal is back on their feet again, Kingslayer plunges their sword towards the ground, using it as a pole to swing around to come behind their sparring partner without losing any of their momentum, land on their feet, and strike upwards with enough force to send Seal flying across the courtyard and landing flat on their ass on the nearest wall.]

This'll end it!

[phantasmagorial]

... Do I even want to know what a Noble Phantasm is?

[ we've already social linked her enough to get some sass, I see ]

[pioailurophobia]

[Kingslayer snorts at that as they lower their blade, turning to face Rei.] I assumed you of all people would have that figured out, Ruler, but it looks like I'm the only one who remembers the rules of the Grail War.

[What?]

this is a real tag

[phantasmagorial]

Excuse me?

Re: this is a real tag

[pioailurophobia]

...right, shit, you wouldn't know, would you?

[Kingslayer raises their gauntlet and turns its back to face Rei. On it is an elaborate skull insignia, neatly segmented into three parts.]

I'm a Servant, Saber class, according to the memories I got when you gave me this Command Spell. Servants can't die, at least not like how humans do, which means that somebody must've summoned me here to this wonky afterlife for some reason. And whenever something goes unforgivably weird with a Servant summoning, Ruler-classes tend to show up to fix it. And since Ruler classes are the only ones capable of giving people Command Spell strokes, Servant or no... you have to be a Ruler class.

See?

[Kingslayer is blissfully unaware of how little that made sense.]

[phantasmagorial]

[ Rei just continues staring at them, like they've grown a new, also helmeted, head. ]

I...

I don't know what a command spell is?

[ SHE'S SO CONFUSED ]

[pioailurophobia]

...the tattoos.

That we all have.

Those things.

You know, the ones that unlocked our Servant powers? Or Executor powers. Either way.

[phantasmagorial]

... I'm sorry but I still don't understand anything you're saying.

[ She looks lost as hell. ]

Um, what does this 'command seal' do?

[pioailurophobia]

When a Master activates it, it gives their Servant a command they can't disobey, and makes a Hell of a lot more powerful if we play along. Simple stuff, really.

...shit, I've completely lost you, haven't I?