Game Master: Much of the fighting stops when Metatron and Tracia face off on center court. The energy shifts, churning like a slow tornado in the center of the octagonal space. It seems that all eyes are on Metatron and Tracia as they converse. Pultine and Lorv stand just behind Tracia, and Michael and Gabriel approach to stand behind Metatron.
Tracia: Shall we?
Metatron: It would be my honor, your Excellence.
Tracia: Pultine, how are you feeling?
Pultine: Good enough to drag Gabriel if you want. Lorv should handle Michael. I’m still a few steps off my best.
Tracia: I would rather you join my daughter in thinning out the participants. Lorv, you too. We don’t want to be fighting in a long tournament for weeks.
Lorv: That’s a good point. But are they all going to jump on you?
Pultine: Gabriel! Come with me to knock out easy opponents while Tracia and Metatron vent their sexual frustrations.
Gabriel: She can’t be serious. We should just overwhelm them all out of bounds right now.
Metatron: Can we, Michael? Are we strong enough together?
Michael: Maybe if Jophiel joined us, but Gabriel, no offense, your talents are useless here. Have you learned to manifest a soul sword?
GM: As he asks, a long sword of white light materializes in his hand. It seems heavy judging by the strong grip that Michael has on the hilt.
Gabriel: I don’t do weapons, but I can fight and I can do mind blasts. I can disorient them and then we can jump them together.
Michael: Do you want to advance to the Dance Gabriel?
Gabriel: Not really, but I’d like to be helpful.
Michael: Then go with Pultine to help her knock people out. I’ll see if Lorv wants to do the same. That guarantees the four of us in the Dance, and probably Jophiel. Do you intend to eliminate Tracia, Metatron?
Metatron: I don’t really know my intentions. I will just see what happens. Maybe I will be eliminated. It won’t matter if you all advance.
Michael: Who among the Archangels can defeat a Mmoatia in one-on-one combat? You’re the only hope we have to win this. Unless all of the Supremes are eliminated.
Metatron: Tracia!
Tracia: Yes? Are we ready to be reacquainted?
Metatron: Not yet, your Excellence. If we are to meet in battle, it should be more consequential. I would hope to face you in the final match of the dance.
Tracia: Fair enough. I will not target you for the remainder of the Melee, but I cannot say the same for my sisters.
Metatron: I will do the same and say the same for the Archangels. Good luck.
Tracia: You will need it.
GM: As if on cue, Pultine and Lorv, and Michael and Gabriel sprint across center court with their wings to attack the opposing leader. Gabriel, with fingers at his temples, sends a mental blast at Tracia that moves fast through the air, rippling existence as it hones in. Tracia catches the rippling effect in the cup of her left hand as Michael swings his soul sword at her right shoulder. She drops her shoulder just as the sword descends and she smashes Gabriel’s disorientation effect into the side of Michael’s face. Michael is hit hard and tumbles away from Tracia. She has turned her attention to Gabriel and she snatches him out of the air and swings him around herself using his momentum, and she flings him in the direction of Michael. Gabriel collides and the two tumble to the edge of the court. Gabriel almost avoids falling out, but Michael bumps him out of bounds in his disorientation, and Michael only avoids disqualification because bouncing into Gabriel sends him wandering in the opposite direction.
Pultine swoops in low at Metatron and Lorv flies high. Pultine uses two, light blue soul axes and Lorv rapidly fires balls of energy from her pointer finger. Metatron blocks his face and braces himself as the Mmoatia approach. When they are close, a pulse of electricity in a ball explodes around Metatron, stopping Pultine and Lorv in their tracks. They both cover their faces and when they look again, Metatron has disappeared.
Lorv: Should we look for him?
Pultine: I guess.
GM: Suddenly, Cic jumps down on Pultine and begins to spin her in a web. He tries to retreat back up to the large web he has spun in a corner of the low bridge where he has four other participants spun up and waiting to be tossed out, but Lorv fires balls of light that break the webbing and sends Cic and Pultine tumbling to the ground. Lorv helps to free Pultine and Cic hisses at her when she stands.
Pultine: Deep Red. I thought you were dead.
Cic: You tried your best but I am still among the living. You burned my nest. You killed my entire family.
Pultine: And how many families have you and your family killed?
Lorv: I see you two have history. I’m going to go check out that web and see if I should free them or toss them all out.
Cic: Don’t touch my web!
Pultine: Try and stop her.
GM: Lorv flies up to the web and upon inspection, she finds Yaoel and Karron, of the Children, Aarin of the T3 Archangels, and Maxx the Superguardian of the All Stars.
Lorv: All of you are eliminated, except the Superguardian. I will rip the webbing so you have a chance of freeing yourself before a new opponent comes along.
GM: Lorv gathers three of the participants bound up in Cic’s webbing and flies to the edge of the court. She struggles to release the mass from herself, and while she is distracted, Metatron knocks her out of bounds. He tries to grab the mass of webbing, but fails, knocking out four participants in one blow.
Ahdis: Oh no! Lorv was careless with that webbing.
Agiel: And the T3s are down to one.
Iaoth: Tabris, are you aware that you are now alone?
Tabris: It’s your fault! You got Aarin involved with my fight with the Superguardian.
Iaoth: At least you managed to avoid getting caught in the web. I didn’t mean for Aarin to get caught up, I meant for him to save you. And you’re still in it. Now eyes up. You’re close to the battle between Pultine and Cic and you don’t want to catch the fallout of the attack she is winding up for.
GM: Pultine has tried to attack Cic head on, but he skitters and jumps quickly on his eight legs. He shoots webbing deftly, like a sharp shooter, and sometimes it is hard and punches Pultine when it connects, other times it is sticky and Pultine has to burn it away with her light. But as Cic catches his breath, Pultine is charging her fireworks. Balls of energy swell and crackle around her hands for half a minute before she launches a beam of light that slaps against Cic and sends him tumbling to the edge of the ring. Pultine flies after him and lands nearby, cornering Cic against the edge as he stumbles up on his legs.
Pultine: I know that my actions on Xaxax were harsh. I was acting with extreme hostility toward a threat, and I was in need of rest that I denied myself. I know an apology will not suffice in this situation, but you have my guarantee that I will face your judgment. This Melee, the Dance even, isn’t the proper place for that. Find me after all of this and we will talk.
GM: Cic is angry, all of his eyes are weary, but tense with rage. Something in him relents, though, and he takes another blast from Pultine that knocks him out of bounds. Just as Cic is eliminated, Rusa lands next to Pultine.
Rusa: You’ve had a very hectic Melee. Those angels were giving you the business to start. Are you full strength yet?
Pultine: No. Seeing Tracia move makes me angry that I went to cocoon for so long. Look at her.
GM: Tracia seems to be toying with the powerful Ballaton of the Children. They both hover in the air and Tracia seems to be doing a well-timed dance that avoids all of Ballaton’s powerful blows.
Tracia: See, you are leading with rage. That will never do against a Mmoatia. What have they taught you on Endla?
Ballaton: To channel my righteous anger into victory! When I lay fists on, fairy, you will not recover.
Tracia: You’re not even close to laying fists on me. Your mother is Mmoatia, like me; I am no fairy. You lack control of your natural gifts because you have been handicapped by your keepers. They know the potential of Mmoatia children, look at Hysteria with her undeniable power. You could be close to that. Please, find us when all of this is over. You have so much potential.
Ballaton: You can talk at me when I win the dance, I’ll decide whether or not to listen.
Tracia: Oh, little one. Your time in the Arbitration of Hysteria ended when you engaged me. Now, go have a seat while I find Michael.
GM: Tracia effortlessly sweeps Ballaton out of bounds while she turns her attention to the remaining competitors and hopes to run into Michael. Pultine and Rusa are still conversing when Tracia eliminates Ballaton.
Pultine: She is as excellent as she ever was.
Rusa: You will get there.
Pultine: What have you been doing? Eliminated anyone yet?
Rusa: No. I’ve just been moving around, staying out of everyone’s way. Wielar is doing the same. I guess it’s a smart strategy. The All Stars don’t have the same grudges like most of the teams came in with, except for Cic and you see where that got him. Participants ignore us or are afraid of us because of the Queen Rowen’s abilities and the display that Belfrat 33 did on that angel early on. We’re looking good for the Dance. I just hope we don’t have to face each other.
Pultine: I hope you win. Or Wielar. I think you two would be good for regulating the actions of Fonlanders in this realm. You both know both realms, you are products of both. The descendants born here know nothing of the Fonlands.
Rusa: I think the Queen Rowen would be the best to win it all. She knows about managing powerful factions.
Pultine: Well, let’s get back to it. I guess I’ll see you in the Dance.
GM: They fly away from one another and back to the fray. The Queen Rowen is with Argile Brom on the low bridge as Jophiel lands in front of them.
Jophiel: Everyone may be afraid of you because of your mind tricks, but I’m not. I have formidable mind trick of my own.
Queen Rowen: I see. Shall we meet in psychic battle?
Jophiel: I think that you should do whatever you can to avoid elimination.
GM: Jophiel darts at the Queen Rowen as she steadies herself to attack when Jophiel is close, but Jophiel dodges to avoid the Queen as her sword of fire materializes in her hand and he throws it at Argile Brom, who is impaled by it and the force of it drives him off his feet and careening out of bounds. Jophiel loops around to land across from the Queen again.
Jophiel: Now it is even.
Queen Rowen: That wasn’t necessary.
GM: The Queen Rowen charges at Jophiel and she jumps into a kick that connects with Jophiel’s forearm. Jophiel follows the block with a blow of her own that connects with the Queen’s chest and sends her tumbling back on the bridge.
Jophiel: I guess your mind is more powerful than your body.
GM: The Queen Rowen smirks as she gets back to her feet. Her large head begins to pulse and veins begin to bulge as her body grows and her head shrinks to the size of an Earther’s. When she is done, she is taller than Jophiel.
Queen Rowen: I was hoping to save my transformation for the Dance, but you deserve it and you won’t make it that far.
GM: The Queen attacks again and this time, she moves fast, kicking and punching harder than Jophiel anticipates the Queen is capable. She completely overpowers Jophiel and when she tries to retreat, the Queen grabs her leg, swings her around, and tosses Jophiel the long distance out of bounds.
Sariel: My word.
Iaoth: We definitely underestimated some of the All Stars.
Kazi Fandral: To our benefit. The countdown to the end of the Melee has started and it seems we will have the most participants in the Dance.
Agiel: Zazel and Empyreon are still out there. No one can drop their guard until Hysteria says it’s over.
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