open Bloodbath on the red x

[TheBreech 91]

"To answer you question, because I would have to link my magic to my sword. Which would mean destroying the sword would be like destroying your horn. Think, Cosmo; do pegasi cast as quickly, efficiently, and easily as you can? No; Swordpoint has to carefully gather energy in order to cast safely. Well, earth ponies channel through their eyes, if they can channel at all. That means a lot off different things for me; my magic is different than Swordpoint's, my eyes are a bit more important to me than they normally would be, and I can literally see magic, and determine what kind it is. For instance, the amulet I gave you glows a bit like a glow stick. The amulet you received from the Night glows with a sparkling brilliance of the moon. Swordpoint glows like a miniature sun. I shudder to think what would become of me if all of my magic were focused into an instrument of war..." she explains. She notices his blush and stares pointedly at Altair. Couldn't keep the conversation open, could you? she thinks, running in her mind the possible things he could've said.

Cosmo stops blushing and became much more serious, "I know, but you wouldn't cut off other links would you? Also, I'm not saying other tools are as effective as a sword, but other tools work. As for your magic, if you're not in danger, then you wouldn't need to use your sword to cast spells. On the other hoof, if you are, isn't it fitting to have a weapon be the tool of defending yourself? Also, do you really believe a sword can only be an instrument of war? I used mine to cut the wood needed to repair the ship, if anything, it was an instrument of progress or peace. Chefs use the same knives for cooking a trained warrior could for killing. I met a swordsmare who would coat her sword in paint and pretend she was attacking a piece of wood like a foe, and left the marks of her techniques as art. In that case even the arts of war gained a new purpose... An old stallion once told me, weapons don't kill ponies, the ponies holding the weapons do. The purpose of something is decided by us, and thus we can change it as we wish." Altair spoke to Lyth through their link, "Cosmo can get sensitive about purpose, and I'm sure you can imagine why..."

(I didn't understand what you meant by "could keep it open," could you explain it a bit?)

Edited September 5, 2013 by TheBreech

[Octavia's Bow 2,035]

Cosmo stops blushing and became much more serious, "I know, but you wouldn't cut off other links would you? Also, I'm not saying other tools are as effective as a sword, but other tools work. As for your magic, if you're not in danger, then you wouldn't need to use your sword to cast spells. On the other hoof, if you are, isn't it fitting to have a weapon be the tool of defending yourself? Also, do you really believe a sword can only be an instrument of war? I used mine to cut the wood needed to repair the ship, if anything, it was an instrument of progress or peace. Chefs use the same knives for cooking a trained warrior could for killing. I met a swordsmare who would coat her sword in paint and pretend she was attacking a piece of wood like a foe, and left the marks of her techniques as art. In that case even the arts of war gained a new purpose... An old stallion once told me, weapons don't kill ponies, the ponies holding the weapons do. The purpose of something is decided by us, and thus we can change it as we wish." Altair spoke to Lyth through their link, "Cosmo can get sensitive about purpose, and I'm sure you can imagine why..."

(I didn't understand what you meant by "could keep it open," could you explain it a bit?)

(Yep; he said something to Cosmo she couldn't hear. Thus closing the conversation to her.)

 

Lyth drew her sword and hovered it down to meet her hooves, where she held it gently. "This is not an art tool anymore than Altair being a bad entity. They both could be, but both have different intentions at heart. As a place for storing my magic, it is inadequate for many different reasons. One of them being the ammount of unknowns associated to tying magic to something. Nopony says that by giving my magic to anything else I will become more able to focus. And nopony knows how much energy it takes to successfully perform. This is something we're going to have to agree to disagree on. Now, I believe there was a large magical discharge upstairs."

[Justin ZW 396]

@,

Swordpoint glanced down at the deck, noticing the strange bowl of water. "Crimson... What is that?" He pointed to the strange bowl, eyeing it cautiously.

 

Rainbow raised an eyebrow and flew down to it. "It's just a bowl of water... Are we supposed to be scared of it?" She reached her hoof toward it.

 

Swordpoint's eyes narrowed, and he teleported beside her and knocked her hoof away quickly. "No! It could be another of Umbra's tricks! Keep your distance!" He pulled her away. "Everyone! Prepare yourselves! I know not what this holds, but I am certain it cannot be a boon. Can you tell us anything, Crimson?" He eyed his brother hopefully. 

[RAGESTAR 479]

crimson eyed the bowl and shook his head slowly, "no...im sorry swordpoint...but I have no idea what this bowl is or what it does...but for some reason, I'm tempted to throw it overboard...it gives me a bad feeling...lets get rid of I-" crimson paused in the middle of his  sentence, now looking at the bowl with a look of utter shock, multiple spirits began to emerge from the bowl, none of which were familiar to crimson except one, "...mom..." said crimson quietly, almost to himself. the mare crimson stared at now was indeed his mother, but an ethereal and somhow more sinister version of her, she gave crimson a look of disdain and disappointment, "you've failed me crimson, you've failed me and violet...if you weren't so weak and powerless, I might still be alive...you've had so many chances to bring me back, yet instead you decided to revive your useless little sister instead of your own mother! and yet you still managed to mess that up as well and you let her get captured by my bastard of a husband! you've failed not only as a pirate but as a son as well!" yelled passion angrily. crimson looked heart broken and merely bowed his head in shame, "im sorry...I just thought that since your our mother that you would want your daughter revived first...please, what have I done wrong! you cant be cruel! you cant be just like him! from everything celestia and luna and even DISCORD have told me, you were the most kind and gentle pony they knew! they said you were nothing like umbra! THEY CANT BE LYING! YOUR NOT REAL!" yelled crimson in despair. passion merely smirked cruelly, "sorry to break it to you worthless...but they were lying! im just like my husband! and it seems that would be clear seeing as he sees you as an utter failure as well! you were a mistake and a monster! how can you ever save your sister if you cant even save your own mother!?" yelled passion with a twisted grin. crimson now had tears running down his face, "no...no y-your lying! you cant be my mother...you cant be a monster like him...LIKE ME!! GAAAHH!!" screamed crimson in rage as he slumped to the floor crying.

 

((the bowl is an enchanted artifact that revives the spirits of the dead who died with regret from themselves or someone else they loved, it even works on crimson! so if anyone's OC has a dark and sad death in their past that they've never resolved, this is the moment to show it.))

[Justin ZW 396]

@, @

(OoC: I'll have Radio appear for Swordpoint. He regrets that he wasn't the one to enter the nexus and sacrifice himself. Radio's spirit could play off of that. I'll let you speak for your own OC, Lunar Dusk.)

Swordpoint raced to Crimson's side when a spirit appeared from the bowl. It materialized into the form of Radio. Swordpoint gasped and stared in awe at the spirit. "R-Radio? Is it truly you?"

[Octavia's Bow 2,035]

@, @

(OoC: I'll have Radio appear for Swordpoint. He regrets that he wasn't the one to enter the nexus and sacrifice himself. Radio's spirit could play off of that. I'll let you speak for your own OC, Lunar Dusk.)

Swordpoint raced to Crimson's side when a spirit appeared from the bowl. It materialized into the form of Radio. Swordpoint gasped and stared in awe at the spirit. "R-Radio? Is it truly you?"

(Radio; "Wait a minute. You want me to be mean to one of four friends I've ever had? No! F*ck all of you! This is total bull!)

 

A few things happen at once. The first is that Radio opens her mouth. Then a torrential crack of thunder strikes her out of nowhere, and her remarks become completely unintelligible. By the part of the bowl nearest Swordpoint, a message is burned into the ship. It reads the following; "In the eternal nethers of this... Place, I have seen much sorrow from the word of this ghost. I have therefore made it dumb, lame, and scarred. It was not that difficult, since the spell on the bowl effects the dead, and in technicality I will never and always be dead. Besides, didn't you take a moment of time to check on the living version of me, you moron? Go look at somepony else's dead spirit!"

[TheBreech 91]

(I don't think my spirit needs warping... the only death Cosmo hasn't come to peace with was his father, and if he'd met Umbra, they'd be as close as Crimson and Cosmo.)

Cosmo ran off when he heard yelling and when he reached the deck, stood mere feet from his father, who smiled at him approvingly. "Well, done my child, well done!" Cosmo stared at him and asked, "Well done? Am I supposed to believe you planed for me to grow up as who I am?" Phantom Shadesteel, laughed and replied, "Of course! I trained you to be a killer! I never cared who you killed for, just that Altair was red with blood from your enemies! As for your betrayal, Shadesteel, at least you taught my son how to murder his family and peers." Cosmo was taken aback at those words, and Altair had the same expression before they burst out laughing,

"You're misinformed father."

"Cosmo abandoned your techniques and has taken the path of the sword, not the demon."

"And Shadesteel changed his name to Altair."

"A fresh start."

"And for every life I've taken, a dozen were saved, liberated, or greatly improved in its place."

"The one thing Cosmo learned from you,"

"Is who I will never become."

Phantom stood their for a moment before he decided, "I see... Then I will not waste this opportunity from Umbra. My clan shall be remembered for the terror we brought, not for some rebellious child's attempts to forget his own past!" A coldness passed over the ship and all color faded a bit as Phantom unsheathed Abyss, his sword that was made from the bones of his first target, and coated in Obsidian. "May the fires of hell burn you from history," Phantom hissed. Cosmo merely smiled and said, "Only if you can catch me," before unsheathing Altair. Through the link, his spirit guardian warned, "Shadesteel was too much yesterday, and the only way to cut him is if I'm in the sword, where I can't assist you. He'll have the advantage, so be very careful." "I know Altair, but I'm making sure he stays gone this time, and he doesn't know about my Telekinesis techniques..."

[Octavia's Bow 2,035]

Lyth walked out onto the deck as phantoms of her mother and father stood before her, having died years prior of a sickness. "Be gone spectral denizens, I have made my peace with you, and my mind has not changed this day. My mother is and forever will be the night, and my father shall be time itself, for both respect me as a pony." To her, they poofed into clouds of dust. She walked straight to the bowl and sat. Immediately, a circle came up, as she thought out the problem. These are the fabled souls of sorrow; sick, twisted spirits that pose as our real loved ones. Now to bind them back where they belong... She began to chant in her ancient language; a form of spoken runes, as the circle around her began spinning.

[TheBreech 91]

Phantom chuckled, "Abandoning your new master? Why can't he just use his new fire rune? Or maybe water? Cosmo, did you really think I haven't been watching you? Or your friends? And don't waste you time with the new goddess of yours, no amount of pray can make me not know about you're loved one... I tried to warn you boy. Love brings nothing good in the end, only pain when it's taken away. I thought you learned that from Buck Barrel, but I guess I'll have to repeat the lesson with that little freak of nature you call your marefriend." Cosmo smirked and replied, "Those words exist only because you were too weak to protect my mother. Go ahead, try to strike Lyth! I've abandoned your techniques, but I'm not above killing any opponent foolish enough to look away from me. You fear Love because you couldn't protect it! Do you not think if you'd opposed your father, others would've stood beside you? You were afraid you'd lose everything! You were afraid to fight my grandfather! You were afraid to protect my mother! ALL BECAUSE YOU'RE TOO MUCH OF A BUCKING COWARD TO COME OUT OF THE SHADOWS AND FACE YOUR OPPONENT DIRECTLY!" He didn't need proof of his words, but as Phantom's form began shaking, it was clear how much he agreed with Cosmo's words. "Damn you... Damn you, damn you, damn you, DAMN YOU COSMO!" His father screamed, and in that moment a blue line opened from thigh to shoulder and at the base of his horn, as Cosmo used that moment of rage as an opening to cut his father's spirit in half and disable his magic. "I obey an honor code that varies with my opponent. I'll show my honor to a deserving foe, but a monster like you, will be tricked and exploited. Especially if you threaten the mare I love." Cosmo walked past the vaporizing form of his father and over to Lyth, offering a link to his energy if she needed it.

[Demonic Soulz 483]

((Well shit Equinox has had a sad death in his past))

 

Equinox turned to see Crimson reacting then went over to the bowl. "I don't get it whats so spe-" "Equinox...how long has it been since I last saw you" Equinox was interrupted by a mares voice as he looked up to see his sister. "No...no no no you....Deranged killed you...I saw it with my own eyes when he did...when I did" Equinox said as he backed away hoping for Deranged to kick in at any moment but he didn't. "It's been so long since I saw you..." Equinoxes sister said

[RAGESTAR 479]

crimson sat there crying as passion circled him and abused him, "you have already failed everyone you love! just give up already and go find a nice quite place to kill yourself! maybe after spending a few eons in hell, you'll actually learn to be a better son!" spat passion angrily. crimson was on the brink of breaking, "im sorry...maybe your right...maybe I HAVE failed everyone I love and care for..." whispered crimson quietly with his the brim of his hat covering his eyes. passion smirked, but crimson then lifted his head up, revealing his eyes to be serious and full of fiery determination, causing passions smirk to be replaced by a look of surprise. "but that just means I have to keep trying again until I succeed! everyone deserves a second chance in life! that's what you taught me, at least that's what I would say...if you WERE my mom!" said crimson calmly before using Helios to slash the spirit in half. Crimson then closed his eyes and sheathed Helios, "stay where you belong...in my memories..." mumbled crimson before running over to help Lyth and Cosmo destroy the bowl by adding his energy.

[~Sole~ 852]

Suddenly the remaining spirits around them were hit by blasts of magic. Sole landed on deck and glared at everyone "what are you all doing? Don't fall for this shitty trap!" He growled, trying to snap them back to their senses. "You guys can't let this stuff get to you, trust me, it's not really them!" He said.

[Demonic Soulz 483]

"Huh" Equinox said as he finally snapped out of it. "About time you came back I couldnt get you to listen" Deranged said killing the so called spirit. "Now how in the hell does Umbra even know how to do something like taht" Deranged asked as he looked at the bowl. "Cant believe im helping" Deranged said as he/Equinox went up to the bowl and added their energy

[Octavia's Bow 2,035]

With the combined energy of all of them, and Lyth's own power shooting into the mix, the occurrence happened nearly instantaneously; the bowl exploded into white light, which circled up to the moon. Thousands of screams of seemingly dying ponies poofed with them, to be forgotten by history.

[Demonic Soulz 483]

"Those screams..." Equinox sighed as he looked at the moon. "May Luna soothe thy soul so you may live in peace" Equinox said as he went back to where he was and looked at the sea. "Umbra is going to die...I will make sure of it" Equinox said as he loaded Hus gun with a prototype bullet he made a year ago when he was in Ponyville. "One bullet is all I need"

[Octavia's Bow 2,035]

"Those screams..." Equinox sighed as he looked at the moon. "May Luna soothe thy soul so you may live in peace" Equinox said as he went back to where he was and looked at the sea. "Umbra is going to die...I will make sure of it" Equinox said as he loaded Hus gun with a prototype bullet he made a year ago when he was in Ponyville. "One bullet is all I need"

"Umbra doesn't have a form in the sense of a conventional body. At least, not in the sense that a bullet to the head would do much other than make him laugh at you. His curse is one of his greatest defenses. We'll have to figure out a way to bind him to something physical that we can destroy, so the his soul will leave this plane of existence."

[Demonic Soulz 483]

"This bullet will effect him its different from most and besides I knew that already" Equinox said as he pulled out the same bullet. "This is mostly for spirits and dark entity's if shot at anything physical it will pass on through them but if it hit a spirit or dark entity it will kill them" Equinox said

[TheBreech 91]

Cosmo was uneasy about a weapon that would kill spirits. "That would be bad for me..." Altair muttered. Cosmo smiled and mentally replied, "Can't kill what you can't catch." Altair chuckled, "Spoken like Fade." Altair's memories of the first Shadesteel flowed into Cosmo who took an alternate understanding of his teachings. "Fade was insane... He didn't think his art was killing, he thought it was Swordsmanship!" As he passed the realization to Altair, another thought crossed his mind, "...Fade?" With that, Cosmo felt a surge of excitement within his guardian spirit. "Amazing! Just bucking Amazing! My own son couldn't tell it was me, but a descendent countless generations later figured it out! But yes, I'm Fade. It's just easier to claim I wasn't. I sincerely meant what I said. I wanted my descendants to master the sword beyond my level, but they mistook my words... and perhaps they were clear to me but not them. Either way, I've waited a long time for some pony like you Cosmo. The prodigy of his clan, with incredible skill at such a young age... The day I possessed you, I could feel the power you had with a sword, but you have so much more too... You inherited my skill with a sword and your mother's skill with magic, but you dilute passed anything either of us could've dreamed of doing. You still a teenager and you have the power Stallions fail to achieve in decades... Know this as you face Umbra, the power Lyth is teaching you will act as a key to that which Luna sees in you and your destiny." Cosmo's gaze drifted to his cutie mark, a picture of the galaxy with the constellation Libra upon it. "Those scales aren't exactly a sword are they? My interpretation, you'll use the powers of the heavens to balance out the sins of your blood. Perhaps it won't be you, but maybe your children. The point is, I suggest you take the time to master you're powers. The ones you don't even know you have. Now, I'll let you think that over, but also, if Lyth wishes to call me Altair, I'll be content with that. Farewell my long sought heir." With that, Fade took residence in Altair, and left Cosmo to think about his words.

(Ultimately, I wanted to make Cosmo's retirement have a reason. I may have mentioned, but I'm going to try putting his story in line with his character, altering either as I feel works best.)

[RAGESTAR 479]

crimson sighed in relief as the bowl of spirits was destroyed, with the threat now gone, crimson felt a bit uneasy, "dammit! if that bastard could attack us with something like that so easily and from so far away, then were practically sitting ducks!! he even ignored the ships magical defenses like they were nothing!" thought crimson as he turned his direction to his crew, "okay everypony, I have a decision to make, but I want all your help deciding on it, so we'll put it to a vote...those who want to keep sailing without any breaks, stand on my left, those who want to make a rest stop and restock our previsions, stand on my right..." said crimson.

 

((either way you guys choose, ive got a plan...))

[Octavia's Bow 2,035]

"In order to make such a decision, we'd need more facts. What are the states of our provisions, what damage has the ship sustained, will we be able to find supplies on the island, and do we need something we don't have?" Lyth had a pad and quill to write his answers down.

[TheBreech 91]

crimson sighed in relief as the bowl of spirits was destroyed, with the threat now gone, crimson felt a bit uneasy, "dammit! if that bastard could attack us with something like that so easily and from so far away, then were practically sitting ducks!! he even ignored the ships magical defenses like they were nothing!" thought crimson as he turned his direction to his crew, "okay everypony, I have a decision to make, but I want all your help deciding on it, so we'll put it to a vote...those who want to keep sailing without any breaks, stand on my left, those who want to make a rest stop and restock our previsions, stand on my right..." said crimson.

 

((either way you guys choose, ive got a plan...))

Cosmo shook his head and walked to Crimson's left, "You're mistaken about our vulnerability. The shield protects us from threats. The bowl was just a tool to summon threats but it wasn't too hard to defeat. However, I still say we end you father immediately. The ship is in good enough condition to reach our destination, and if we stop for anything, we'd really be sitting ducks. And in truth, I'm getting real tired of that buckers crap... However, that doesn't mean I'm unwilling to stop and rest. If you guys want that, I'll just be uneasy."

(If the rest stop wont lengthen the RP, I'm for it, but otherwise I'd rather we just get to the end, man...)

[pinkiepool 129]

“After taking a swim and overhearing a conversation I did not need to hear, I believe that a captain can marry a couple on his ship, and I think I know a couple who wouldn’t object.” Coral smiled at Cosmo as he glared at her over Lyth’s blush. She also gave Crimson a look of seriousness.

[TheBreech 91]

“After taking a swim and overhearing a conversation I did not need to hear, I believe that a captain can marry a couple on his ship, and I think I know a couple who wouldn’t object.” Coral smiled at Cosmo as he glared at her over Lyth’s blush. She also gave Crimson a look of seriousness.

Cosmo muttered, "Really Coral?" Then Fade added, "Hey! That's right! Get Crimson to marry you 2!" Cosmo couldn't keep his reaction silent and ended up shouting "REALLY FADE?! ARE YOU BUCKING WITH ME?!" His spirit guardian and ancestor simply smiled mischievously and returned to the sword.

[RAGESTAR 479]

crimson rolled his eyes and facehoofed, "okay! okay! very funny Coral, that was a funny joke but lets be honest...the only way these two are getting married is if we actually make it out of this crazy adventure alive! but still...im happy for you two, I didn't expect there to be any romance on this voyage..." said crimson with a pause, frowning sadly as memories of his days adventuring with twinkle flashed in his mind.

[TheBreech 91]

crimson rolled his eyes and facehoofed, "okay! okay! very funny Coral, that was a funny joke but lets be honest...the only way these two are getting married is if we actually make it out of this crazy adventure alive! but still...im happy for you two, I didn't expect there to be any romance on this voyage..." said crimson with a pause, frowning sadly as memories of his days adventuring with twinkle flashed in his mind.

"I doubt it was a joke," Cosmo mumbled, before saying, "I think the trip to get this far met the sacrifice quota around here. Luna as my witness I will not let any of my friends.die!" Cosmo stomped the last part and thought about the crew members they'd lost. "They will not be in vain... You can count on that Umbra..." Cosmo looked at the sky and realized it was getting late."I've made my opinion clear. I'll spend the remainder of the day in my room..." Cosmo headed to his room to meditate and hopefully develop some new strategies for fighting Umbra.