Koma Inu's S-Class Trials: Part II — Vosca City Tribulations

The Koma Inu S-Rank Trials still raged on, as a few participants remained. The entire point of these trials is to see who amongst the myriad members of the guild have the right to ascend to S-Class, standing near the pinnacle of hierarchy; it was something everyone looked forward to, but only a few can rightfully obtain.

It was tough and arduous, typical of an examination to test one's skills and measuring the capacity to handle bigger responsibilities. In the first trial, there were many obstacles that the selected few had to overcome. Qilins, sentient plantlife, potent spores, and many others of a similar nature. Not to mention trying to work as a team with people you may be unfamiliar with, which is rather important for most situations down the road; a single mistake can cost everyone dearly, thus concepts like "teamwork" and "ingenuity" were key to overcoming the first trial.

There were some participants who were rather reckless or were deemed to be weak, thus ousted from the team when the group finally obtained a scroll. It was a harsh, yet rational decision that had to be made in that single moment, as such mistakes and weaknesses won;t be tolerated on real missions. Lives are put on the line and the mission must be upheld at all costs; anything less would be adverse and can possibly cost the entire group dearly. To those that were ousted, it was a good experience for them — helping them see what they need to improve on. For those that passed, it was an opportunity to further polish their recognized skills and reach closer to the goal of S-Class.

The first trial tested one's strength and capabilities working on a team; the next trial.... will follow suit. It's unknown what this second phase brings, but all that can be told is that it's going to be more difficult than the last, considering where it was located.

''Let the horrors and pain.... continue.''

Sanguine Demonic Child
It was mere hours after Helena completed the first trial with her previous teammates. She remembers the details of such events all too well; for a woman who was naturally composed at all intervals, even this had gotten to her to such an extent. Apparently, she was deep in thought, believing that her inadequate actions led to one of her teammates being ousted, thus crushing his chances at becoming S-Class.

Even though her other teammate had passed, he was a bit.... downtrodden, considering that he was nearly useless, only aiding when it truly mattered. Such expressions were deeply carved into the young maiden's heart, which caused her to renew her vows at becoming stronger. She decided to complete this examination and obtain the rank at all costs, as to not let their efforts go to waste.

Though her mind was deep in contemplation, her body was still active; she was in the location of the second trial, a largely abandoned city near the savage forest she exited not too long ago. It was a city known for its maze-like complex and large structures, easily confusing all its trespassers should they don't have the proper guidance. Alongside her was her new partner, Sagewing — a mage more experienced than Helena.

Interestingly enough, he wasn't human; more of a bird-like creature, if anything. Apparently, Helena decided it was high-time to work with someone else, believing that she didn't deserve to work with Adam, nearly causing him to be ousted from the competition. Apparently, the judges intended on the previous groups to work with others — seeing it as a good experience. It would be boring otherwise; it's unknown why Helena chose him, but according to her honed instincts, he had the skills needed to compliment her own — something that will be key in this examination.

For some time, they were walking around — trying to find their way; they wanted to complete this trial as quickly as possible, given that they had limited time to do so and the obstacles they would face may be time-consuming. Though she was deep in thought, she snapped out of it after sensing an incredulous power nearby. She turned to her partner to check up on his status.

"Mr. Sagewing, how is everything with you? We've been in this maze for God knows how long, and I'm not making any headway here — probably because I was contemplating on my failures from the previous trial. But just a moment ago, I sensed a dangerous presence nearby. I think we should be careful on how we tread from here on; this might get ugly quick."

Sagewing nodded. "I will trust your instincts, Helena." Sagewing spoke, going quiet for a few moments as he closed his eyes. "This individual's might must truly be great if that would be the case. I can't sense it's presence. Then again, my range is not that long." he said as he opened his eyes once more and began to make his way forward, passing Helena by before halting and turning back to her with an encouraging voice and "smile". "Come now, lead the way, comrade."

"If that's what you wish, then I will do it to the best of my ability." Helena wanted to make up for her previous mistakes, not wanting her partner to be in danger; however, danger always has a way of finding her, regardless of her desires. The sheer fact she was getting closer and closer to the source of the incredulous power she was sensing prior, served as sheer testament to such a fact. "Might as well get this over with." Helena needed to get the hard parts out of the way first; she decided this overwhelming sense of danger was the first obstacle the two-man squad had to overcome.

As Helena and Sagewing got closer and closer to the source, they happened upon a small child; he looked like a little boy wearing outdated clothing, probably related to the location they were in. He seemed..... normal, but it begs the question: what's a child doing here? By the looks of it, he was lost and was crying — shown by the sad demeanor on his face. In order to confirm her suspicions, she decided to come closer, seeing what he was capable of.

"Little boy, what are you doing here by yourself?" Helena asked a simple question in her normal ladylike demeanor, trying to make this situation less complicated than it needs to be. The boy responded in kind to her question. "I'm lost and I'm looking for someone to help me? D-Do you think you can help me, onee-san?" It seemed that his tears and cries of dismay were genuine, typical of a lost child looking for his parent.

"Fine, I'll help you just this once; but first, tell me your name. It's important to get to know each other on a first-name basis." Though Helena said this with a smile, she always kept her wits about herself and made sure to prepare herself should anything happen. For now, she wanted to play along and survey the situation. In that moment, the little boy spoke. "M-My name is—" Before he continued his introduction, something strange had happened to him. It was if he was undergoing a transformation of sorts. Mere moments, he became a ghastly version of his former self, complete with red eyes with black sclera and tears of blood gushing down to his face. This... This was something unsightly, a sign that the boy Helena knew wasn't human.

From the change in his magical power, it had gained an evil influence; the being's power began to rise dramatically, to the point where a bloody aura started to form around him. Helena still kept her wits even in the face of such a grotesque metamorphosis, gaining some distance between herself and the eldritch abomination that paraded itself as a human. "Sagewing, get ready! The source of the power I sensed is coming from this child. We need to defeat him if we want to pass." As Helena made such a declaration, she conjured her signature rifles and amassed an immense amount of light; at this point, she was ready for the worst.

Sagewing stood seemingly unphased by what transpired before him. Standing this close, he could sense it now, it's immense range of power, it's unending gluttony for destruction and slaughter. However, in contrast to his previous experiences, this couldn't even hold a candle to the horrors of his past. He drew his swords, standing at the ready for whatever may come his way. "Partial Take Over: Aurora Plume." he spoke and as he did, his frame began to change. His feathers turned bright scarlet and the tip of his feathers glowed in the bright colors of the rainbow. He struck a stance, such so that when time came, he could with greater ease come with a counter attack. Despite the situation they were in, he felt pleased.

Helena seemed to be in greater spirits than previous and she seemed fully at the ready. This was exactly the outcome he desired when he asked Helena to take the lead. Although it would prove self-beneficial to take the lead himself and prove his own worth as a mage, he deemed it a better proof of his worth as a being if he could aid a comrade in a time of insecurities. He spared a glance in Helena's direction, seemingly pleased with what he saw. His blades then suddenly caught flame in a green blaze. "I am ready whenever you are, Helena."

Helena felt something was off with the situation; in order to prove that her worries were sound, she decided to make the first move. Using all the rifles summoned at once, she manipulated them — positioning them in such a way that the demonic entity would not be able to escape. Upon command, she unleashed volley after volley of magical bullets, all aimed at multiple parts of the being's body; she knew that her photokinetic capabilities were enough to take care of any demonic being that crossed her path. This case was no different; in lieu of their overall offensive power when used as a group, the bullets weren't meant to injure the opponent in question. In this case, they were used to gauge the demon's capabilities; she wanted to know what she was up against and how to overcome such a tribulation.

Leaving no stone unturned, she signaled her partner to also attack, unleashing what he has at his disposal. "Mr. Sagewing, hit him now. It's now or never!" Helena wanted to make sure that the creature wouldn't survive such an onslaught; even if it did, it would suffer some grievous injuries before its retaliation.

Sagewing thrust his still blazing swords into the ground as he prepared another spell. he cupped his talons, gathering up a vast amount of Fire Magic at a rapid pace. This would cost him a bit more magic to perform, but he did not worry too much about it. He felt as the flames gathered up until the point where it felt like as if it was going to burst at a moment's notice. "With joy! Verdant Inferno: Grand Pyre!" he cried out as he threw this fast traveling orb of green flames into the bombardment of bullets. The orb soon reached it's intended target and as he snapped with his talons, the orb created a massive blast of green fires that reached for the sky and scorched the ground. The demons horrid shrieks could be heard from within as it blazed. With the bullets, the flames and the toxins, it produced, Sagewing held high hope of the fiend's demise.

In lieu of such onslaughts, Helena's instincts told her something was wrong..... seriously wrong! It felt like the techniques didn't phase its being, in lieu of its cries. After the dust was settled (metaphorically-speaking) and the demon's being came into the clearing, it was obvious that it was damaged heavily bu such assaults; however, the magical aura surrounding it had activated some form regeneration ability. In mere moments, all the wounds began to vanish — as if they were non-existent to begin with; soon after, the entity was back to its original state. Smiling in glee after receiving such treatment, it uttered something from its ghastly mouth — a sentence that will foreshadow the actions it will take against the duo shortly after.

"Now, it's MY turn to play! I hope you don't break as you two will become my puppets!" The moment it said this, something felt strange in the combatant's bodies; it was if it was having a mind of its own. Apparently, Helena's sensory prowess kicked in — alerting her of the situation at hand. She sensed a foreign presence enter her body, one that belonged to the demon. It was the same for Sagewing as well; as it infected the bloodstreams of both combatants, she deduced it was a form of Blood Magic — one that's unique to the evil entity. Sensing the source, she also concluded that it came from the enormous demonic aura surrounding the beasts, which also acted as the reason for its regeneration. Every time she made attempts to free herself from its grip, she slowly but surely began to lose all control. It reached a point where she couldn't move any longer, becoming something of a plaything.

"Ahahahahahahahahahaha! You're mine now; let's play okay?" As the demonic entity said this, he lifted up the girl and slammed her into the ground. Soon after, he slammed her into the walls and then into myriad structures; though Helena was an incredibly durable person because of the arduous training she went through and the high-level battles she's faced before coming to the guild, injuries were visible on her person. Finally, she was sent flying towards her partner; if such a collision were to occur, both of them would become severely injured.

What could she do? She had no longer the strength to move of her own free will, what more can a person who's been reduced to a puppet can accomplish? It was then that she realizes that she can manipulate her photokinetic powers mentally; though she can't move, she could cast magic like normal. Using such an opportunity, she transformed her body into light particles at breakneck speeds; moments before the impact, she avoided major damage and reformed right behind her now-immobile partner. She was temporarily freed of the demonic child's grasps. She also used this chance to gather even more light to form her signature weapons — firing them all at once, hoping to disrupt its powers even for a moment. She hypothesized that it needed focus to maintain its influence; should it be disrupted to any extent, the captives would regain their mobility.

"Aaaaggggghhhh~!" The demon was heavily affected, losing its grip on Sagewing; with this her partner was freed and they would be able to continue their assaults.... if that was the actual plan. Helena took this chance to explain their next course of action. "Listen Mr. Sagewing, we don't have much time here. We need to retreat for now; I deduced that the demonic being has a collective amount of magical power at its disposal, probably due to years — possibly centuries of hatred and angst pent up, which transformed into a greater power. In all my years, I've never seen a power that's as potent as the one this creature's wielding. Fighting is useless now and a big waste of time; we need to complete the main goals of this trial and I have a feeling we were never meant to beat this thing in order to accomplish the goals at hand."

She wanted the two of them to get out alive from this situation and pass this portion of the examination as swiftly as possible. She deemed this to be the best course of action, although it may seem cowardly to a stronger individual. However, like a responsible leader, Helena understood that retreat is best and fighting isn't always good — this situation being a personification of that. "I'm sorry we can't stay here longer and beat this entity, but we have things that are more important right now."

Sagewing flapped his wings with such force that it hindered him from crashing into one of the nearby buildings and soared up into the sky. He was in full mind to retaliate until he heard Helena's voice adressing him. He could feel his spirit dwindling as she spoke words of retreat. His heart sank. Did she believe that this was above him? That this was a feat they could not perform? He gazed between her and the fiend and he came to a decision. "We will not run." he spoke defiantly as he stared intently at the slwoly recovering demon. "One way or another, our superiors proved capable of bringing this monstrosity to this place as an obstacle. How could we ever call ourselves their equals if we can not do that which they could? What would be the point of an obstacle that you can not overcome?" He shouted back at her.

Call it pride, call it stubborness, call it whichever you want, but Sagewing was a "man" of principles. And his prime principle is to never let anyone down. And there is only one thing he can do to let his dear people down. But giving up. He hasn't done it yet, and he does not intend to do so now. He dsahed forward, his swords in his talons and prepared his assault on the still recovering demon. "Besides, defeating that which can not be defeated..." his voice lingered as he delivered his attack. Dozens of swords strikes, imbued with toxic flames rained down upon the devil from every direction as Sagewing performed his move. He then stood behind it and thrust his two swords through the mosnter's chest, piercing its would be heart. "That would look pretty good on a resumé, don't you think? I will stand responsible if this goes south, and if this goes south, I swear that I will give my life to make sure that you can make progress!" He called out to her as he flapped up into the air once more. Phoenix Soul: Aurora Plume!" and with those words, no longer was he a half man, he now stood before Helena as a full fledged phoenix, his brilliant feathers a true sight to behold. "So are you still gonna run, or are you with me?"

"Hehehehehehehehehe! HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA~!" It seemed that during their little "strategy meeting", the demonic entity made a full recovery; apparently, it overheard their conversation — thus the laughter. Surprisingly, what the creature was going to say next would surprise both of its adversaries. "The blonde onee-chan is right! If you had followed what she said and ran away, you would've lived to see another day! But thanks to your stupid bravado, you and her will both lose your lives for nothing! Hahahahahahahahahahahahahaha!" It seems that in lieu of its demonic nature, it understood reason; this would mean that it had a particularly high level of intelligence to agree with the statement Helena made.

"*sigh* Why am I stuck with people who don't listen to reason and see the bigger picture?" At this point, Helena lost her normally complacent demeanor and went along with Sagewing's suicidal attempt at boosting their status. She prepared for combat once more, summoning ambient amounts of light and conjuring her signature muskets. Before pulling a Leeroy Jenkins and facing the obscenely powerful opponent that's before them, she faced her partner and gave him advisory. "This once, I'm going along with you; however, should such attempts ends in losing more time than necessary or causing us to become grievously injured — we're pulling out immediately, regardless of opinions. Remember, we have four more obstacles to overcome and we need to reserve as much power as possible. Now, let's get this mundane battle over and done with."

Sagewing could hear her reluctance and displeasure with his choice of actions, and he took it to heart. He would not feel any shame in retreating as she desired if only he was granted the opportunity to fight his fullest. Even if it failed, he would offer the fiend this one last gift. "As you desire. Now, Helena, join me in this assault! Give it as much as you can without straining yourself too hard." ''Not that I will promise the same. ''He flapped his colossal wings, elevating himself to great heights and sending out great gusts of wind. When he reached his appropriate height, he gazed down upon the devil. ''I can restrict it so that it does not affect Helena. Although, such a feat would most likely take a lot out of me...''

For just a moment, Sagewing doubted if this was trully a wise move. Indeed, a leader needs to be able to motivate his comrades to rise above what they are and make them believe that they can beat that which they think is unbeatable. Alas, it is also required to understand when an obstacle is above either of their capabilities and fall back for their own safety. To know when to push them and whe to call them back. Sagewing realized that in that very moment, he had failed to live up to the expectations. However, he would not fail again. Should this attack not succeed, he would personally escort them away from the area. "Be ready, Helena! Rainbow Fire: Absolute Inferno: Descending Star!" He called out as he prepared his most powerful attack. Vast quantities of chromatic flames took form at his talons, shaping itself into an orb of fire, growing in size equal to that of his Transformation. he grabbed hold of the fiery orb and dived at a incredible speed. He threw the orb and then quickly landed beside Helena, ready to protect her from that which was coming.

"As sweet as the gesture may be, I don't really need that much protection." Helena said this not out pride, but out of assurance; however, she was impressed by the scale of the technique her ally just unleashed on their foe. Before the moment of impact, Helena decided to conjure her signature defense just to assure that they remain uninjured; as she already gathered ambient amounts of light before re-entering the fray, all she needed to do is mold it — something she did in mere nanoseconds if anything, considering her advanced skill in her craft.

"Extalia Hrunting!"

Mentally chanting the technique, she conjured a luminous barrier of immensely durable proportions — which perfectly surrounded herself and Sagewing; the moment the technique landed and the demon took severe amounts of damage, the shockwave of such a collision spread throughout the entire city, rocking its very foundations. Too bad Helena and Sagewing didn't feel a thing because of the protection; they were completely unharmed, Helena's barrier not collapsing from the colossal amounts of pressure produced by said aftermath.

Large amounts of smoke scattered, leaving Sagewing at the mercy of not knowing his enemy's condition; this wasn't true for Helena, who had an apt sensing magnitude, which served her dutifully throughout her time. She saw that the enemy still lived, though its power gradually weakened. She perceived that there's a limit to how long that entity could regenerate in a given period; it was nearing its limit, despite not visibly expressing it. She sensed it can only be done a three or four more times — a fact that even it was aware of.

Making use of such a diversion, the entity summoned copious amounts of blood from the bloodstained surroundings, which hadn't completely dried up and absorbed into the soil in lieu of being there for many centuries; must be due to the terrain itself or the power behind the entity's magic affecting the blood, preparing it for when it's needed for battle (sorta like this one its in now). The sanguine essence formed into a condensed ball; upon command, it struck at the barrier with full force — hoping to smash it into bits and reached the desired targets.

"It seems that it's going to be on the offensive once more. Might as well return the favor." As Helena said this and separated herself from Sagewing, she disarmed the barrier — giving herself and her teammates enough time to dodge the now-sentient tendrils. She decided that the first thing to go was the condensed orb of blood, which acted as the source of the demon's power. Summoning copious amounts of light into a large orb, she initially superheated it by changing the nature of the eternano contained within — reaching such temperatures that surpassed even the hottest of worldly flames, and hurled it at the respective target. As it traveled at high speeds, the collision between the two orbs unleashed a light so blinding that it temporarily spread throughout the ruins. Everyone in the vicinity was blinded momentarily, sans Helena — taking this opportunity to resume her assault. The sanguine orb was gone, evaporated into thin air — leaving naught a trace remaining; the demon has temporarily lost its main power source.

Like before, she collected ambient amounts of light from her surroundings and molded it into another form — a luminous bow and arrow; this was one of her more powerful creations. The process didn't take long and it emitted potent waves of photokinetic energy, containing a luminosity that surpassed her other displayed techniques. Upon the ready, she took steady aim at the now stunned creature and fired it upon command. The only thing heard before the firing was a single phrase.

"Extalia.... Krystalline!"

The arrow was launched from the golden bow and traveled at speeds surpassing normal human limits; upon contact, it not only caused severe damage to the being in question due to the combination of velocity and impact, the condensed amount magically-charged photokinetic particles infiltrated every core of its being — essentially destroying the beast from the inside-out. Every cell from its body torn asunder, every fluid was evaporated, every bone turned to dust. Not even its aura made from its own emotions and surrounding energies could defend against such an assault. It was this assault that utterly annihilated the creature once and for all. The only thing heard from the aftermath was a large wail.

"Gyaaaaaaaah~! I'm burning, I'm burning~! Whyyyyy? Whyyyyyyyyyy?!" As one would guess, these were its final words. The might being that haunted them for an extended period was destroyed, but the explosive force that ensued was nearly catastrophic. A shockwave was produced, blowing away Helena, Sagewing, and a large portion of the area in which the battle took place; there was nearly nothing left. A few moments later, Helena was able to get up and dust herself off. She couldn't believe that such an assault was able to be pulled off so easily. Thankfully, Lady Luck was on their side; now, they can continue on their path to becoming S-Class. Officially, the first of the five obstacles have been eliminated.

Helena found Sagewing, who was able to tank such an assault — but left a bit delirious from the blinding lights unleashed from Helena's respective techniques; it took him mere moments to return to his original state of self-awareness. Just in case, she asked about his condition. "Mr. Sagewing, are you alright? That attack was more than intended, but it got the job done if I do say so myself."

Sagewing shook his head furiously and ruffled his feathers, his equivalent of brushing off the dust that had gathered upon his frame. the blast and light had taken its toll on him. He felt his body aching despite not having received any considerable injuries. He let go of his Take Over form, reverting back to his old shape. "I knew that we had it in us. You, in particular, Helena. That was an astounding feat of magic, something I only wish that I could ever perform." He praised as he rapidly blinked in an attempt to rid himself of the annoying dots that littered his vision. "Now I know for sure that I have some way to go. And knowing that there is someone like you amongst Koma Inu has given me the spark to grow." Sagewing apparently caught himself indulging in this ever so slightly mushy moment and did his best to shake it off.

"Either way, I believe it is as you said. We have faced one trial and triumphed. Time to see what more they have in store for us, wouldn't you say?" he said and gestured for her to come with him through one of the pathways that led away from the area, careful to make sure that they did not head back to their original point of entrance. Sagewing made sure to try and keep an equal pace to Helena, despite his towering length. he let out a sigh. "I apologize for heading in without your consent. It was reckless of me and I did not fully consider the risks that could have ensued. don't mistake me, I'm glad we remained and fought it, but I shouldn't have forced your hand. This is not about either me or you, after all, it's a team effort. So forgive me for my selfish actions."

"It's alright, as long as no one was hurt, we're safe for now. But please, try to think things through; if it was a more dire situation, then we would've resorted to the right decisions. Remember that. There are times where you have to put your pride aside and focus on what's more important. Hubris can lead to one's downfall; that's why you must always remain composed, regardless of the situation." Helena was lecturing Sagewing, feeling like certain things needed to be said in that moment. But before she went on a tangent, she decided to stop as time was of the essence.

"Now, come along. We have work to do. I can sense the presence of one of the proctors in the area; let's meet up with them posthaste." As Helena said this, the duo started to move at high speeds. They needed to make it to the goal before time was up; otherwise, all their hard work and sacrifice will have been for naught.