Malakai Fields (fully open)

Things were more lively than usual at the Malakai Fields; the young magician, his gargantuan tree, and their dragon friend had set aside a pasture about two hundred feet from the Darkness Tree (well, Malakai Jr. had convinced it to do that).

You see, Malakai Jr. had made friends.

You might be asking yourself "What?!" or "How?", but I kid thee not. The antisocial, overconfident little monster of a child had gotten friends.

And what an unlikely band they were: a strong boy named Ivar Ivarson, just a little shorter than a full-grown man but just as strong and twice as skilled, another young man by the name of Elnath Fomalhaut, a telekinetic who might only be described as "charismatic", a spirit mage by the name of Nero Eldoryn, friend to the dead, and two girls: a pretty, if somewhat ordinary looking young woman named Cilhal, and a strangely attractive, shy girl named Racide.

Right! How might such a group of misfits have met each other and joined into a group in the regularly gloomy location of the Malakai Fields? Well, I'll answer you quickly enough:

The first to arrive had been Ivar, the young far northern Skandivian with long coal-black hair and handsome features, clad in the furs of great beasts and some pieces of chainmail. He had been wandering the wilderness for a year now, and had come across the acres of spoiled land, and immediately noticed the large, black tree in the center of it all.

He made his way through the fields, where rivers still flowed and animals still flocked; it appeared as if the childish Malakai Jr. had let up some of the, well, evilness in the area.

Anyways! Once he got to the Darkness Tree, Ivar immediately met the ruler of the area, the preadolescent mage and Bahamut. A duel ensued between the magician and the huntsman, and lasted for quite a while, but in the end Ivar stood barely victorious over Malakai, and the two became fast friends, each recognizing the prowess of the other.

The next to arrive were the charismatic Elnath, a spirited, willful boy who didn't take no for an answer, and his friend, the timid young Racide, a pretty young half-viera by the name of Racide. Elnath, seeing he was obviously outmatched against the warrior, mage and dragon, instead asked to camp and share tales; Ivar was soon enough convinced by his stories, and the two became friends, and quickly enough Racide and Elnath were welcome in the Malakai Fields.

Last of all were... oh, darn it, my sister wants a turn on the computer. I'll continue soon enough, explaining Nero and Cilhal.

Right! Last of all were Nero and Cilhal, the reserved spirit mage and the loud young woman.

The two happened to be wandering through Skandivia, after Nero had helped lay Cilhal's father to eternal rest. Nero saw some sort of spirit hanging over the area, and asked Cilhal what she saw; her reply was "A lot of black, a couple bunnies, and one big tree."

They ventured further into the area, until they were at the Darkness Tree. Ivar didn't challenge him to a duel (not wanting to fight a blind man), but Nero DID have stories to tell, those that he had learned from the dead, and Malakai, enchanted by them, set aside the green pasture where spirits could rise above the grass once again.

And so, the group was formed, a ragtag bunch consisting of a preadolescent magician and his giant dragon friend, a young, large and fierce hunstman with an eye for stories, a timid half-viera girl, a handsome young man with an odd name, a blind spirit mage, and a loud young woman.

And so, we find our heroes on a sunny Wednsday, sitting in the wide pasture comfortably. Nero had forsaken his heavy furs and leathers (and that bit of mail he wore around his heart to ward off arrows) and was cooking up a pot of rabbit stew, using some spices Elnath had made be accidentally dropped from a passing merchant airship.

Nero was sitting on a driftwood chair Nero had also fashioned (with Elnath's assistance in gathering said wood (Malakai said that the Darkness Tree's wood would grow back really quickly, but making a chair out of it would probably poison whoever sat on it)) and holding court as that area's Lord of the Dead, speaking with spirits to give them rest or have them pledge themselves to his service (passively, of course).

The girls were playing a game of what might resemble chess to us humans, but with a wider board, more pieces, and different elevations. Cilhal was tutoring Racide in the game mechanics, so she was technically winning, but the half-viera caught on quickly and turned the game around.

Elnath and Malakai were sparring nonviolently, the former using his fists and the force of his mind and the latter his staff and wind spells (it was much like a magical push fight).

"Soup's ready!" Ivar called, banging a spare pot with a large metal spoon. The girls instantly halted their game and walked over.

Elnath and Malakai stopped fighting just as quickly, and though it appeared Elnath had Malaki on the ropes, you could never be sure. Either way, Malakai dashed over while Elnath sort of floated... hovered... yeah.

"You too, Spook!" Ivar called to Nero, who nodded in his direction, quickly apologizing to the three spirits that remained. He'd be back after lunch, because, well, sending a spirit to the other side every minute or so was tiring.

They all sat down at the picnic table (another Elnath-called item), and Ivar dished out the soup. "Careful, it's hot." the huntsman warned, but in the case of Malakai Jr., that warning went in one ear and out the other. Several seconds later, the child powerhouse was hopping around and complaining "TREACHERY! THIS SOUP BURNED MY TONGUE!"

Some monsters roamed into the area, ready to claim the turf. However, as this isn't a Clan War topic, I guess they were just here to beat stuff up.
---
Emissary of Darkness
Bertram (Dark Paladin/Soldier)
Firewyrm
Ice Cream (see my monster compilation)
Siren

Malakai noticed the monsters and Bertram first, and called up the length of the Darkness Tree, "We've got compaannyyyyyyyyyy!"

The sound of great leathern wings flapping filled the air, and within several seconds the massive bangaa-dragon Bahamut was roaring in front of the invading party. Nero, Elnath and Malakai himself instantly moved to back the behemoth up.

---
The Companions of the Fields
Elnath (Reality Knight/Item)
Nero (Personal Job)
Bahamut (Dragoon/Templar)
Malakai Jr. (Black Mage/Blue Mage)

"...Grr... Kill..."

Bertram was suddenly over Elnath (lol Maple Story), and was swinging downward with a knightsword full of evil.

The Firewyrm slashed at Bahamut, the Ice Cream dropped a ball of vanilla on Nero, and the Siren began to sing.
---
Bertram - 100%
Unholy Blade (basically Holy Blade with dark damage) > Elnath

Firewyrm - 100%
Attack > Bahamut

Ice Cream - 100%
Vanilla (moderate ice damage and Addle) > Nero

Siren - 100%
Siren Song (Charm in an area) > All Enemies

Elnath floated to the side to narrowly evade the greatsword, bringing his hands up to level and unleashing a torrent of mental energy to push Bertram away.

Bahamut caught the Firewyrm's blow, and did his best to grapple and throw the wyrm to the ground. In reality, he was charmed, but acting from instinct.

Nero wasn't so lucky, but what he lacked in physical prowess, he far than made up for in magical skill. He knelt low and chanted something, poured some energy seemingly uselessly into the air, and stood up. While it appeared nothing had happened, within a couple seconds, a semitransparent man in oriental clothing rose from the ground.

Malakai raised his staff to the siren, and with a shout of malevolent childish glee, sent a massive thunderbolt at her.

---

Elnath- 100%
Mindpush-->Bertram (minor to moderate nonelemental damage, always knocks back)

Bahamut- 100%/Charm
Fight-->Firewyrm

Nero- 82%
Bind Assassin
R-Ability: Deadly Bond-->Ice Cream

Malakai Jr.- 100%/S-Ability: Darkness Tree Powered
Thundaga-->Siren

Spirit Assassin- 100%/Summoning Sickness (Cannot act on the turn summoned)
Wait

The Siren was partially fried, but still continued to belt out the high notes.

The Firewyrm disengaged Bahamut before getting grabbed, and let loose some noxious breath.

The Ice Cream fired some brown dessert this time.

Bertram was shoved backwards, but managed to keep his balance. He let the darkness flowing from the tree fuel his next attack...which was executed after a quick jump to the middle of the enemies.
---
Bertram - 87%
Devil's Cross (Saint Cross with dark damage) > Malakai, Nero, Elnath

Firewyrm - 100%
Guard-Off > Bahamut

Ice Cream - 100%
Chocolate (moderate ice damage and Slow) > Nero

Siren - 43%
Siren Song > All Enemies

Malakai, the impatientest one of all, released a Triplecast on the group; another Thundaga on the Siren, a Blizzaga on the Firewyrm (and Bahamut to snap the bangaa out of it), and Firaga on the Ice Cream.

Bahamut, snapped out of the Charm, stood dumbfounded for a second before roaring at the Firewyrm and releasing an Ice Breath.

Nero, suddenly feeling very... slow... started... casting... a... spelllll... and succeeded just in time. Tadaaaa!

Elnath floated further away from Bertram, this time manipulating Entropy. Could you please send something we would find useful? he called into empty air, eyes closed.

An airship happened to be cruising over the area at that moment, and a shadow formed over the Siren and the Ice Cream. If one were to look up, they would see that Elnath's Entropy had called up, well, an airship dropping what appeared to be a load of heavy junk parts and an unnecessarily large anvil.

The Assassin hopped behind Bertram and attacked with its ethereal dagger.

---

Elnath- 100%
Entropy-->Siren, Ice Cream (caused a multitude of heavy parts to fall towards them)

Bahamut- 69%
Ice Breath-->Firewyrm

Nero- 68%/Slow Immunity (4)
Supernatural Quickness-->Self (yeah, I actually had that there ahead of time >=D)

Malakai Jr.- 76%/S-Ability: Darkness Tree Powered/Rest (1 turn)
Thundaga-->Siren
Firaga-->Ice Cream
Blizzaga-->Firewyrm

Spirit Assassin- 100%
Attack (behind)-->Bertram (remember, chance of poison/bleeding)

*BURN CRACKLE ...err... GENERIC ICE NOISE*

Bertram suddenly found himself as the last aggressor standing, and he already had a dagger wound in his backside. Angry, he leapt at the Assassin.
---
Bertram - 81%/Bleeding
Unholy Blade > Spirit Assassin

The Assassin was blown backwards by the force of the attack, but at the same time Bertram would be inflicted with the Painful Bond. The Assassin stood up and rushed at Bertram.

Nero saw Bertram through his third (and only) sight, and raised a palm in that direction, sending a bolt of energy forward.

Malakai Jr. rested, while Bahamut charged Bertram, and Elnath sent another wave of his mental energy forward.

---

Elnath- 100%
Mindwave-->Bertram

Bahamut- 69%
Fight-->Bertram

Nero- 68%/Slow Immunity (3)
Channeler Strike-->Bertram

Malakai Jr.- 76%/S-Ability: Darkness Tree Powered/Rest
Rest

Spirit Assassin- 50%
Attack-->Bertram

(...Err...)

Bertram disintegrated.

(?)

Final Fantasy victory music ensued. "They might send more, though." Elnath noted calmly. The rest just shrugged and went on with their meals.

The meal was done, and Nero went back to finish his Court of the Dead.

"We should fortify around the tree," Cilhal said.

"How're we gonna do that? It's plains for miles. Where're we gonna get the wood and stone?" Malakai Jr. responded. "Besides, does anyone here know how to build a fortress?"

"I do!" spoke a spirit, rising from the earth. It floated towards them. "Coperniciusehamensnarfodoodleschwit Smith. I was the architect for a king's castle, back in the day."

Everyone stopped to stare at him but Nero (who couldn't do much staring anyways).

"Okay, we have someone to tell us how to do it, but that still leaves out the supplies!"

"I don't see..." started Racide, but everyone looked at her and she quieted down.

"Speak up, girl!" said Cilhal, clapping the half-viera on the back. Racide yelped. "I, uh, don't see why we couldn't use the Tree itself for a fort. We wouldn't need as much in the way of supplies, and the high branches are far enough up that we could... you know... ignore just about everything."

"Genius!" said Ivar. "A good idea."