[6F - SP] Calming the Soul - The Reflection in the Mirror-Bright Shield [Completed]

[Shield 0]

Spoiler

ID# 76844 results:

Shield: HP: 400/400, Damage per Attack: 5, Mitigation: 34, Evasion: -3, Regen: 27
Battle: 10 - Hit! 5 dmg + 2 -3 Mit = 4 dmg, Bleed rounds remaining: 2

Rival: HP: 16/200, Damage per Attack: 3, Mitigation: 3
MOB: 3 + 3 = 6  - Hit! 3 dmg - 34 Mit - 27 Eva = 0 dmg, Thorns - 14 dmg

Perhaps it was the memory of the old battles that had once pushed Shield to level and grow as a player and strategist, or perhaps it was merely being sickened by something stealing the face of such a formidable rival while being so underwhelming, but Shield wound up his arm and struck down overhand, cleaving through his adversary's defenses and landing the blow across the left side of his face.

He had opened a serious wound, dropping most of the remaining hit points almost immediately, and the injury showed no sign of closing any time soon. The battle was over, and Shield let his hands relax by his sides.

Something in his opponent changed. He glanced at his health bar, from the look on his face, fully aware that it was about to begin draining away of its own accord.

"Why?" it asked. "Why couldn't I hurt you? Why couldn't I even once make my attacks stick to you?"

Edited February 8, 2017 by Shield

[Shield 0]

Spoiler

ID# 76845 results:

Shield: HP: 400/400, Damage per Attack: 5, Mitigation: 34, Evasion: -3, Regen: 27
Battle: 3 - Miss, Bleed rounds remaining: 1

Rival: HP: 4/200, Damage per Attack: 3, Mitigation: 3
MOB: 1 + 3 = 4  - Miss, Bleed - 12 dmg

"Does it matter?" Shield asked, making a halfhearted attempt to strike at the fake Beat's chest.

"I suppose not," answered the dying impostor, who likewise made a fruitless swipe towards Shield's face.

Even if Shield had not tried to move out of its way, it would not have hit him.The attacker dropped to the ground, seated in a half cross legged position as he nursed the wound that would never heal.

"I just hate feeling useless," not-Beat said, rocking slightly on the spot, powerless to stop its inevitable demise.

"Well, that's what that kind of regret will get you," Shield answered. "The kind you wanted me to feel, I mean. It serves no purpose except to spur you forward to make better decisions."

The eyes of the dying demon fell, looking down at the ground as these last few words sank in. He took one long breath in, letting it back out slowly, a few wisps of red escaping his lips.

Edited February 8, 2017 by Shield

[Shield 0]

Spoiler

ID# 76846 results:

Shield: HP: 400/400, Damage per Attack: 5, Mitigation: 34, Evasion: -3, Regen: 27
Battle: 1 - Miss, Bleed rounds remaining: 0

Rival: HP: -8/200, Damage per Attack: 3, Mitigation: 3 [DEAD]
MOB: 2 + 3 = 5  - Miss, Bleed - 12 dmg

The fake that sat before Shield took one last swipe, missing the leg that it aimed for without any help from Shield. Almost out of pity, Shield feigned an attack of his own that fell short.

"...spur you forward to make better decisions, huh?" the impostor repeated back.

It spent a moment contemplating those words before looking up at Shield, it's health all but gone.

"Will all of this spur you forward to make better decisions?" he asked, his eyes almost pleading with Shield for some reason that his virtual existence counted for something.

"I will," Shield answered solemnly, his expression steady, though not cold or angry as he watched the health gauge hit zero.

"Good."

Before his eyes, the stream of red pixels that had been leaking from the demon's face turned into a burst of the stuff, flooding from the spot like water no longer contained by a crumbling dam. The particles spread out across the black ground before vanishing altogether into the void, leaving Shield once again alone.

Edited February 8, 2017 by Shield

[Shield 0]

"So," began a now expected voice from somewhere in the depths of the void. "What have we learned so far?"

Shield turned around, and there were the four doors once again. The first three were, as Shield might expect, grey and lifeless. The fourth, now clearly visible, was not what he expected. Instead of anything that might resemble a usual door, there stood a gleaming shield, exactly like the one he carried. The mirror-polished surface gleamed despite the lack of light. Slowly, Shield approached it as he considered the question.

"Well, I've learned that there are some things about me, both past and present, that are obstacles to my success," he observed aloud, not one hundred percent sure anyone was still there to hear it.

"That's helpful knowledge to have," answered back the voice from nowhere. "What purpose does that information serve here?"

Shield glanced around as his feet brought him closer to the remaining door, wondering where the voice was coming from. It didn't seem to be coming from his head.

[Shield 0]

"I would imagine that the purpose of this is to purge those things from me," Shield answered.

As the shield loomed in his peripheral vision, he turned to face it. There did not seem to be any sort of handle. All he saw was his own reflection staring back at him. Reaching out an uncertain hand, he made to touch the surface. As he did, his reflection blinked, even though he had not.

"Let's test that hypothesis," his reflection said back to him.

The hand that belonged to the reflection broke its sync with his real hand, erupting from the surface to grip his wrist and pull hard on his arm. He felt the ground leaving his feet as his legs lifted away from the ground. The world pitched forward, and he felt himself being pulled through the cold surface of the mirror-polished shield. The last thing he saw before he broke the surface was the familiar smile of The Gemini in the reflection, and then everything went black.

[Shield 0]

As his body passed through the barrier to the other side, everything around him began to some into focus from the black. He was laying on the ground, the world around him dotted with stars that were spaced through the expanse as if he were a leviathan version of himself on some galactic stage.In front of him on the ground were a familiar pair of boots that led up to a familiar set of armor and an even more familiar face.

Shield sat bolt upright, almost falling over backwards again. He scrambled to his feet, his hand out and ready to summon up his shield and axe should the situation call for them.

"No need for that so soon," simpered the Shield doppelganger that stood before him.

The mirror-image hands spread themselves wide to demonstrate that they were empty.

"Let's talk, you and I," continued the clone. "We have much to discuss."

"This is all going to end the same way that the other encounters have," Shield said, ignoring the request and tapping through his menus to summon his battle gear.

Edited February 8, 2017 by Shield

[Shield 0]

The doppelganger shrugged, before summoning identical gear.

"If you wish," it said, a mocking lilt to its tone. "Someone is in an awful hurry."

Fourth Demon - The Reflection

Spoiler

Shield: HP: 400, Damage per Attack: 5, Mitigation: 34, Evasion: -3, Regen: 27
Reflection: HP: 300, Damage per Attack: 3, Mitigation: 3

Combat Roll

Spoiler

ID# 76903 results:

Shield: HP: 400/400, Damage per Attack: 5, Mitigation: 34, Evasion: -3, Regen: 27
Battle: 9 - Hit! - 5 dmg - 4 mit = 1 dmg, Bleed rounds remaining: 2

Reflection: HP: 285/300, Damage per Attack: 4, Mitigation: 4
MOB: 8 + 3 = 11 - Hit! - 4 dmg - 34 mit - 27 regen = 0 dmg, Thorns - 14 dmg

Both rushing at one another the real Shield took careful aim rolling his wrist and swinging up with his axe to make a clean slice up the side of the other Shield's face. The other swung from the side, aiming for the original's side. Both attacks connected, but Shield won first advantage, the axe's barb ripping a line up the target's face.

The gash it left mirrored the scar on the other side of its face. It was this moment, their faces so close together, that Shield got a better look at its face.

"Wait a minute... your scar," he said, searching the features. "It's backwards. Everything about you is backwards. You're not The Gemini at all!"

"Astute of you to notice," said the mysterious lookalike.

As the aftermath of the first exchange made its impact on their health bars, or the lack there of in Shield's case, he finally got a good look at the health bar for this particular boss.

Edited February 8, 2017 by Shield

[Shield 0]

Spoiler

ID# 76904 results:

Shield: HP: 400/400, Damage per Attack: 5, Mitigation: 34, Evasion: -3, Regen: 27
Battle: 3 - Miss, Bleed rounds remaining: 1

Reflection: HP: 259/300, Damage per Attack: 4, Mitigation: 4
MOB: 6 + 3 = 9 - Hit! - 4 dmg - 34 mit - 27 regen = 0 dmg, Thorns - 14 dmg, Bleed - 12 dmg

"The Reflection," Shield read aloud. "Appropriate. That makes some sense, at least. I couldn't for the life of me figure out how The Gemini could have found his way here, especially after I defeated the version that had taken on my appearance."

Again, the two set their axes edges to attack, exchanging strikes until one finally found purchase in Shield's leg.

"You forget the magic rule," the reflection taunted. "This was all ripped from your subconscious. If it exists there, it can exist here. For all you knew, I could have been The Gemini. In this case, I was not."

Shield tossed his head forward, butting heads with his mirror image to send it reeling back, the bleeding gash on its face still streaming red pixels.

"Maybe anything is possible, but it would not have fit the theme," Shield explained. "Everything so far has been a representation of something within myself."

Edited February 8, 2017 by Shield

[Shield 0]

Spoiler

ID# 76906 results:

Shield: HP: 400/400, Damage per Attack: 5, Mitigation: 34, Evasion: -3, Regen: 27
Battle: 1 - Miss, Bleed rounds remaining: 0

Reflection: HP: 259/300, Damage per Attack: 4, Mitigation: 4
MOB: 1 + 3 = 4 - Miss, Bleed - 12 dmg

The two slowly circled one another, the starry space around them swimming in the reflections on their shields.

"So?" questioned the reflection, taking a test swipe that fell short of Shield. "What does that mean?"

Shield took a swipe himself, also missing his target who leaned his head out of the way.

"The Gemini was a copy in appearance only," Shield went on, continuing the slow circular dance the two combatants made around one another. "He did not have any access to my personality traits. It would be a poor choice to put him in this trial if the inner demons are truly parts of myself."

The reflection that he faced gave a grin, and almost a prideful one at that.

"Not a bad conjecture to make," his backward clone replied. "Now let's see if that clever mind can figure out what part of you I'm meant to reflect. What is it you're conquering by facing me?"

Edited February 8, 2017 by Shield

[Shield 0]

Spoiler

ID# 76908 results:

Shield: HP: 400/400, Damage per Attack: 5, Mitigation: 34, Evasion: -3, Regen: 27
Battle: 7 - Hit! - 5 dmg - 4 mit = 1 dmg

Reflection: HP: 245/300, Damage per Attack: 4, Mitigation: 4
MOB: 5 + 3 = 8 - Hit! 4 dmg - 34 mit - 27 regen = 0 dmg, Thorns - 14 dmg

"That much is hard to say," Shield said slowly, turning the words over.

He paused, stopping where he stood. His reflection did so as well, stopping their revolutions around one another as Shield observed and measured.

"If I had to guess from how you act," Shield went on thoughtfully, "I'd guess you were meant to represent arrogance-"

"Wrong," interjected the mirror image. "Guess again."

Shield frowned, he swiped with his axe, intentionally missing and bringing the weapon around once again, catching the reflection on the back swing. At the same time, the mirror image had caught him in the leg. Neither of them looked away, but they slowly withdrew their weapons.

"You could be sent to intimidate me," he guessed once again. "Maybe you're my fears about-"

"Wrong again," teased his reflection.

With each new guess, the smile that stared back at him grew wider and more and more sinister.

Edited February 8, 2017 by Shield

[Shield 0]

Spoiler

ID# 76909 results:

Shield: HP: 400/400, Damage per Attack: 5, Mitigation: 34, Evasion: -3, Regen: 27
Battle: 8 - Hit! - 5 dmg - 4 mit = 1 dmg, Bleed rounds remaining: 2

Reflection: HP: 230/300, Damage per Attack: 4, Mitigation: 4
MOB: 7 + 3 = 10 - Hit! 4 dmg - 34 mit - 27 regen = 0 dmg, Thorns - 14 dmg

"Well, I've already encountered my stubbornness," Shield observed.

The reflection nodded. Shield swung hard, striking and snagging with the tip of the axe's barb, tearing away the side of the reflection's arm so that sparkling virtual blood issued from the gash to dance among the stars around them like a shimmering nebula.

"I've already encountered the regrets about my daughters and my old passive nature," he continued.

For both observations, the image before Shied nodded separately. It then wound up and slashed at Shield's chest. He did not back away from the attack, allowing the mysterious figment's strike to pass by his defenses and hit him directly.

"So what else could you be?" he asked aloud, to both himself and the him that stood in front of him.

"So impatient," the reflection nagged. "If it was meant to be that simple, I would be dying quickly, like your previous testers did."

Edited February 8, 2017 by Shield

[Shield 0]

Spoiler

ID# 76910 results:

Shield: HP: 400/400, Damage per Attack: 5, Mitigation: 34, Evasion: -3, Regen: 27
Battle: 8 - Hit! - 5 dmg - 4 mit = 1 dmg, Bleed *reset* rounds remaining: 2

Reflection: HP: 203/300, Damage per Attack: 4, Mitigation: 4
MOB: 8 + 3 = 11 - Hit! 4 dmg - 34 mit - 27 regen = 0 dmg, Thorns - 14 dmg, Bleed - 12 dmg

Shield had not noticed before, but it was true. As the image actively bled in front of him, the health gauge in question was trickling down at a much slower rate than it had for any of the other fights. That meant more health.

"We'll see if that keeps up," Shield scoffed.

He stepped in, slashing once again with his axe and opening up a fresh, bleeding wound across his reflection's side.

"So impatient," the image sighed, slashing in retort to Shield's attack.

The silver blade flashed in the starry light, striking right along the side of Shield's hip. The attack did no more damage than anything than the previous trials had dealt him, but there was no question now after it had taken further hits that the challenge before him was meant to be more arduous.

At least that seems to be the case. It could just be the standard mounting difficulty one would expect from any such quest. There may be no further meaning beyond that.

Edited February 8, 2017 by Shield

[Shield 0]

Spoiler

ID# 76911 results:

Shield: HP: 400/400, Damage per Attack: 5, Mitigation: 34, Evasion: -3, Regen: 27
Battle: 7 - Hit! - 5 dmg - 4 mit = 1 dmg, Bleed rounds remaining: 1

Reflection: HP: 176/300, Damage per Attack: 4, Mitigation: 4
MOB: 7 + 3 = 10 - Hit! 4 dmg - 34 mit - 27 regen = 0 dmg, Thorns - 14 dmg, Bleed - 12 dmg

They resumed their circling, Shield trying to examine the target and its behavior to see if he could glean more information regarding the test behind the test. It truly was like looking into a mirror. Everything had been reversed, the only exception being that the image was still right-handed, which Shield suspected had more to do with lazy programming than anything else.

"Still can't figure me out, can you?" the reflection said through a smirk.

"I didn't have any trouble figuring the others out as I fought them," Shield retorted. "I doubt you'll be any different."

He took a step, but instead of continuing in their circle, he used the step to push off, launching himself towards his adversary. His attack was hardly a surprise, and even as he clove through his target's shoulder an identical axe head lodged itself in Shield's kidney. The first wound had closed on his opponent, but the second continued to bleed, further draining its health, coming closer and closer to the tipping point into yellow.

Edited February 8, 2017 by Shield

[Shield 0]

Spoiler

ID# 76934 results:

Shield: HP: 400/400, Damage per Attack: 5, Mitigation: 34, Evasion: -3, Regen: 27
Battle: 6 - Hit! - 5 dmg - 4 mit = 1 dmg, Bleed rounds remaining: 0

Reflection: HP: 149/300, Damage per Attack: 4, Mitigation: 4
MOB: 7 + 3 = 10 - Hit! 4 dmg - 34 mit - 27 regen = 0 dmg, Thorns - 14 dmg, Bleed - 12 dmg

Another exchange of flashing, star-dotted axe heads, and the reflection's health was even worse for wear. Even as the most recent rend began to mend itself, the last leaking particles of red drained the last of the green out of its owner's health bar. The yellow blazed out across the starry battlefield just as the last of the red nebulae dissipated.

"Well, if you have a lesson to teach me, you had better do it quickly," Shield said, axe at the ready to continue his victorious streak against the demons of his mind.

"You're starting to sound more and more like The Gemini," tutted his mirror image. "And there you were assuming that I was The Gemini earlier. Quite a reversal we've seen, wouldn't you say?"

This genuinely gave Shield pause, his axe still cocked and at the ready, but the gears in his head beginning to turn a little differently.

Edited February 8, 2017 by Shield

[Shield 0]

Spoiler

ID# 76935 results:

Shield: HP: 400/400, Damage per Attack: 5, Mitigation: 34, Evasion: -3, Regen: 27
Battle: 4 - Miss

Reflection: HP: 135/300, Damage per Attack: 4, Mitigation: 4
MOB: 6 + 3 = 9 - Hit! 4 dmg - 34 mit - 27 regen = 0 dmg, Thorns - 14 dmg

Is this a trick? I'm not like The Gemini. That clone was intolerable and hasty.

As he rolled this question around in his head, the reflection ducked down and threw itself forward. He swung his axe to knock the attack away but only succeeded in being knocking off of his feet. The figment of a foe straddled his waist and beat down on him with the business end of its axe, but despite its flailing, Shield did not take any more damage than he already had.

He dug in his heels on the ground, grabbing the reflection's collar and using his anchors to pop up his hip and unseat his opponent from mount position, pulling the image to the ground and forcing himself back onto his feet.

"Your trickery is neither subtle nor effective," Shield panted, squaring up in case of more such attempts.

"Just because I took advantage of your distraction does not make my words trickery," teased the mirror image.

Edited February 8, 2017 by Shield

[Shield 0]

Spoiler

ID# 76936 results:

Shield: HP: 400/400, Damage per Attack: 5, Mitigation: 34, Evasion: -3, Regen: 27
Battle: 4 - Miss

Reflection: HP: 135/300, Damage per Attack: 4, Mitigation: 4
MOB: 2 + 3 = 5 - Miss

"What else would you call it then?" Shield spat, giving his reflection a disdainful glare, both eyebrows deeply furrowed as he attempted to unravel whatever game it was playing.

"I'd call it waiting for an opening," answered the image. "Good things come to those who wait, you know."

Shield snorted, his fingers adjusting their grip on the handle of his axe before he stepped in, taking a swipe at his opponent's face. The reflection stepped to the side, swinging upward with the axe in its own hand to try to catch Shield in the chin. The tank tilted his chin just in time to avoid the strike, but even as he did so, the reflection shoved forward with its shield.

The reflective surface collided with Shield's chest, pushing him backwards. He stumbled, but he kept his feet this time. Taking a moment to collect himself, he planted himself in a firm stance, his axe-side shoulder back and poised to attack.

Edited February 8, 2017 by Shield

[Shield 0]

Spoiler

ID# 76937 results:

Shield: HP: 400/400, Damage per Attack: 5, Mitigation: 34, Evasion: -3, Regen: 27
Battle: 8 - Hit! - 5 dmg - 4 mit = 1 dmg, Bleed rounds remaining: 2

Reflection: HP: 120/300, Damage per Attack: 4, Mitigation: 4
MOB: 4 + 3 = 7 - Hit! 4 dmg - 34 mit - 27 regen = 0 dmg, Thorns - 14 dmg

Shield was about to charge in swinging, picking targets to strike as he went, but he paused, replaying the last few attempts in his head. Both times, he had made the first strike. Both times, he had failed to land his attacks. Although his choices of armor and skills had rendered all attacks useless by an opponent of this caliber, the fact remained that the mirror image had been more accurate.

Letting out a slow breath, Shield let his axe hand fall down to waist level, watching his opponent to wait to see what would happen. The reflection cocked its head for a moment before smiling and taking a quick step in. It slashed for Shield's head. Shield side-stepped and did the same to his opponent. The incoming axe slipped through his shoulder, while his own buried itself deep in its target's arm, tearing a significant hole when it was pulled free.

Edited February 8, 2017 by Shield

[Shield 0]

Spoiler

ID# 76939 results:

Shield: HP: 400/400, Damage per Attack: 5, Mitigation: 34, Evasion: -3, Regen: 27
Battle: 3- Miss, Bleed rounds remaining: 1

Reflection: HP: 108/300, Damage per Attack: 4, Mitigation: 4
MOB: 10 + 3 = 13 - Hit! 4 dmg + 2 - 34 mit - 27 regen = 0 dmg, Bleed - 12 dmg

"See?" teased the image. "Was it really so hard to just be a little more patient?"

Shield's chest puffed out with indignation. The gall of this clown to even suggest that it had any sort of authority to tell Shield how to act was unconscionable. It was a figment from his unconscious, and if it was anything like his prior opponents, it was a representation of one of his shortcomings.

It claimed that it wasn't my arrogance, but it may have been lying. Or it may not know itself. The others didn't seem aware that they were representations of anything.

He rolled the wrist of his axe hand and swung the weapon in a wide, overhand arc, swiping at the mirror image's legs. His target leaped quickly over the attack, bringing its axe down as it landed, crashing the weapon down squarely into the top of Shield's head. It snickered.

Edited February 8, 2017 by Shield

[Shield 0]

Spoiler

ID# 76940 results:

Shield: HP: 400/400, Damage per Attack: 5, Mitigation: 34, Evasion: -3, Regen: 27
Battle: 5 - Miss, Bleed rounds remaining: 0

Reflection: HP: 82/300, Damage per Attack: 4, Mitigation: 4
MOB: 5 + 3 = 8 - Hit! 4 dmg - 34 mit - 27 regen = 0 dmg, Thorns - 14 dmg, Bleed - 12 dmg

"Well, it didn't take long to forget that lesson, now did it?" cackled the mirror image, smiling at Shield with a mischievous glee in its eyes. "Easy come, easy go, I suppose."

With a growl, Shield swung again, the phantom foe dodging deftly to the side and spinning around behind Shield, striking him in the his exposed back as if it hadn't a care in the world. Shield whipped around to face it, holding out his axe as a buffer between them as he collected his thoughts. There was something important he was missing. There was too heavy of a coincidence in the attack patterns. If they both attacked simultaneously or if he waited, he fared better with his attacks. If he came in swinging, the mirror image had the advantage.

He keeps telling me to be patient, but what does that say about what kind of flaw he represents?

Edited February 8, 2017 by Shield

[Shield 0]

Spoiler

ID# 76941 results:

Shield: HP: 400/400, Damage per Attack: 5, Mitigation: 34, Evasion: -3, Regen: 27
Battle: 5 - Miss

Reflection: HP: 68/300, Damage per Attack: 4, Mitigation: 4
MOB: 3 + 3 = 6 - Hit! 4 dmg - 34 mit - 27 regen = 0 dmg, Thorns - 14 dmg

In his hesitation, the mirror image pressed in, swinging high and low with the barbed clone of his own axe, catching bits and pieces of a shoulder or a shin as Shield continued to retreat.

There's more going on here than I had anticipated, but what?

As his thorned armor continued to do its work, the reflection in front of him dropped out of the yellow range and into the red, less than thirty percent of its health remaining. Despite being so coy, it had taken significant damage.

Damage...

Shield's eyes fell onto the scar, on exactly the same side that it always revealed itself when looking into a mirror.

"Wait... Mirror," Shield thought to himself out loud. "It's a riddle! You're not like the other demons. You don't represent a flaw, you're here to hold up a mirror and make me see the flaw in myself!"

With a quick upward swing of his axe, Shield broke his opponent's rhythm and forced the reflection to jump back.

Edited February 8, 2017 by Shield