[EV-F26] Defying Destiny

[Simmone 0]

The click of a heel as she moved with the group, following this man that just moments before they were in conflict with. Such a strange turn of events. A whole shitshow ensues, and Simmone cannot help but advert her eyes as another one of those blasts rack a produced barrier. Once the dust settles, she looks down to her sleeves as if in question of what the hell just happened. There was a sudden discharge of energy, and she could hear the calls of that angry red head. "Right on queue." The black cat looks up with a coy smile, knowing full well what she was up to. It was her twins that had given the resources Celeste had needed.

Screaming past her was a scattering of metal clanks and clatters. Simmone cannot help but seek it out, and what she sees is Shiina. Headed right for a warzone, alone. "What the hell are you doing!?" Simmone barks out as she gives chase, struggling a bit given the platformed shoes. Eventually she catches up with the girl, and to her surprise it was not what she expected. A subtle hum within an array of shattered stone, wreckage as war raged on just past this pile of rubble. Her footsteps pick up pace, almost in horror of what she saw upon cresting that turn.

"No Shiina, What are you thinking?" Standing next to the prince of Ladonia, Lamont who was hunched over. "Gimme your hand." The girl seems to order, flopping out her right hand and holding out above. Platinum Blonde hair stuck to her head, as the ground shuttered from power. "Shiina, we cannot trust him." The black lotus offers reluctantly, hesitant to do what she was asked. Her eyes avert away, and find something far too peculiar to process. Staring back at her, a nightmare made real. A white haired woman stared back with an expectation, and Simmone could feel it.

As if that concern had faded, dropping a pale white hand into the awaiting grasp of the Resonant Valkyrie.

Simmone casts Energize/Mass Heal on @Gabrandr

Spoiler

Simmoné, The Black Lotus
Level: 32
Paragon Level: 37
HP: 780/780
EN: 96/96

Stats:
Damage: 21
Mitigation: 63
Evasion: 2
Accuracy: 1
Loot Dice: 8
BLD: 48
BLGT: 32
BRN: 56
ENV.O: 32
REC: 8

Equipped Gear:
Weapon: Mythril Foil - Viper [T4/Demonic/Rapier] Blight 1, Bleed 1, Envenom 1, Burn 1
Armor: Black Leather Bodice - Feline [T4/Perfect/LA] Mitigation 2, Evasion 1
Misc: The Black Lotus - Expedition [T4/Perfect/Trinket] Recovery 2, Evasion 1

Custom Skill:


Skills:
Saber R5
Lock Picking R3
Searching R5
Light Armor R3

Active Mods:
Meticulous
Energize

Inactive Mods:

Addons:
Focus
Hyperactive
Dismantling
Precision
Field Medic

Active Extra Skills:
First Aid R5
Concentration

Inactive Extra Skills:

Battle Ready Inventory:

Housing Buffs:
Well Rested: -1 energy cost for the first three expenditures of each combat
Squeaky Clean: The first time you would suffer DoT damage in a thread, reduce damage taken from DoT each turn by 25% (rounded down)
Hard Working: +2 EXP per crafting attempt and +1 crafting attempt per day
Filling: Increase the effectiveness of a single food item consumed in a thread by +1 T1 slot.
Item Stash: +1 Battle Ready Inventory Slot
Delicious: Turn 3 identical food items (same quality, tier, & enhancements) into a Feast. A Feast contains 6 portions of the food items sacrificed.
Relaxed: Increases out of combat HP regen by (5 * Tier HP) and decreases full energy regen to 2 Out of Combat Posts.
Col Stash: +5% bonus col from monster kills and treasure chests
Advanced Training: +10% Exp to a thread. Limit one use per month [1/1]
Multipurpose: Gain +1 to LD, Stealth Rating, Stealth Detection, or Prosperity to one post in a thread. Can be applied after a roll
Decor []: This buff affects the player and their choice of up to two party members.

Guild Hall Buffs:
Lucrative: Reduce LD needed for Salvage by 5 (10+ for Alchemist crystals, 6+ for everything else). +2 EXP per craft. Rank 9 crafters receive +1 crafting attempt per day. Rank 10 crafters receive +2 crafting attempts per day.
Col Deposit: +5% bonus col from last-hit monster kills and +10% bonus col from treasure chests.

 

Edited February 16, 2022 by Simmone

[Shiina 0]

 Watching on in awe as combat unfolds, keeping a chipper attitude through and through. Things seemed to be escalating rather quickly as a large barrier forms around the refugees and blocks some big ass laser beam. If she was a bettin' gal then there was a big ol' pony on that ship somewhere.

But as Gabrandr would fall, a buzzing in her ears makes her shift her head slightly. "Righty." The girl chirps before starting to rush on ahead, looking back to Simmone as she knew the woman would chase her as she always did. Shiina would need her. "Guess you'll have to find out!" The songstress barks back at the black lotus as she rings a corner and past broken buildings.

In the center a pit, dug by the fallen king that had dropped like a meteorite. Decrepit and still smoldering structures of a mix between Galtean and Landonian make burned. Like this, one could hardly tell the difference. "Ok, dude, it's time to let the big kids play. A tiny rock will only do so much." She murmurs toward Lamont as she slides past him, lifting Gabrandr's solid and yet unconscious head onto her lap. Starting to hum, her hair shifts back to that striking blond color. The ground shakes from the conflict boiling on around them, and the semblance of a song starts to bleed into his ears. 

Simmone had arrived. Shiina pokes out her right hand and asks the woman to take it. Once she did, the ring turns silver and becomes a blinding white light as if they were standing in the sun. A little trick she'd used more than once, supercharged by the energy left over from the woman who disarmed it and the one that triggered it.

If Gabrandr could see her, as she leans down, looks as though she'd bite his ear. "It's not over, your people need you." It would be his wife cradling him, nursing him back to health.

Shiina casts Field Medic/Mass heal on @Gabrandr : +54% Max HP

Spoiler

Shiina, Voice of the Ancients
Level: 32
Paragon Level: 42
HP: 860/860
EN: 98/98

Stats:
Damage: 1
Mitigation: 186
FL. AURA: 16
FR. AURA: 16
HLY BLS: 34
MENDING: 2
REC: 8
THRNS: 72

Equipped Gear:
Weapon: Aegis of Ancients - Valkyrie [T4/Demonic/Heavy Armor] Frost Aura 1, Recovery 2, Thorns 1
Armor: Interwoven Celtic Band - Fervent Expression [T4/Demonic/Trinket] Life Mending 2, Holy Blessing 2
Misc: Valkyries Wings +4 [T4/Demonic/Heavy Armor] Flame Aura 2, Frost Aura 1, Thorns 1

Custom Skill:


Skills:
Heavy Armor R5
Extended Weight Limit

Active Mods:
Large Pockets
Energize
Press the Attack
Rally
Purify

Inactive Mods:
Barrier

Addons:
Field Medic
Hyperactive
Iron Skin

Active Extra Skills:
First Aid R5
Leadership R5

Inactive Extra Skills:

Battle Ready Inventory:

Housing Buffs:
Well Rested: -1 energy cost for the first three expenditures of each combat
Squeaky Clean: The first time you would suffer DoT damage in a thread, reduce damage taken from DoT each turn by 25% (rounded down)
Hard Working: +2 EXP per crafting attempt and +1 crafting attempt per day
Filling: Increase the effectiveness of a single food item consumed in a thread by +1 T1 slot.
Item Stash: +1 Battle Ready Inventory Slot
Delicious: Turn 3 identical food items (same quality, tier, & enhancements) into a Feast. A Feast contains 6 portions of the food items sacrificed.
Relaxed: Increases out of combat HP regen by (5 * Tier HP) and decreases full energy regen to 2 Out of Combat Posts.
Advanced Training: +10% Exp to a thread. Limit one use per month [0/1]
Multipurpose: Gain +1 to LD, Stealth Rating, Stealth Detection, or Prosperity to one post in a thread. Can be applied after a roll
Decor []: This buff affects the player and their choice of up to two party members.

Guild Hall Buffs:
Lucrative: Reduce LD needed for Salvage by 5 (10+ for Alchemist crystals, 6+ for everything else). +2 EXP per craft. Rank 9 crafters receive +1 crafting attempt per day. Rank 10 crafters receive +2 crafting attempts per day.
Col Deposit: +5% bonus col from last-hit monster kills and +10% bonus col from treasure chests.

 

Edited February 16, 2022 by Shiina

[Celeste 1]

Turning over on her heel, wrapping her wrist around a bit more anchored chain, she leaps off the side. The rattling as it unfurls on a spinning wheel, slowly lowering her to the ground floor. As players screamed ass off in tiny little taxis she'd read about while waiting out the ship's repair. They were about as solid as tin cans wrapped in tissue paper. "Fuck me, well, I hope they make it out of this. Either they are stupid or heroic. Guess the difference is if they end up a red blood stain smeared on a wall somewhere." Spoken as she cradles her head against her hand with a subtle gesture of 'no', the other on her hip.

She catches sight of Sam, and a few other members that she served with, during Lun'rael's temper tantrum. "Get them out of the streets, I doubt that thing only has a single charge." Celeste barks with a sudden aura of authority, this was clearly going straight to her head. A glance toward Freyd, and silently she'd hope he'd approve. After all, he was the reason she was in this mess, right?

Her voice gains volume as her strength does. "I need every one of you that can hold a sword, or a shovel, to grab it." To the rising resistance that had witnessed their king fall. Perplexed, they stare at her with confusion. Who was this chick to give orders?

One after another, members of her crew descend on the same chains, forming up a fair size parties of Galtean garbed misfits. Any thought of objection falls as they recognize her clothes, as if they were to mean something.

@Gabrandr

"Has anyone seen where your 'fallen' king Fell?" Struggling not to laugh at the pun. After they gesture her with a point, she'd find Shiina and Simmone babying the bastard on the floor. "If he's a king then he's not so damn weak that a little fall would kill him." Celeste remarks with a bit of a scoff, grabbing the dude with a fist full of his collar and a surprising amount of force and lifting him to his feet. Lamont looks back in horror. "Up and adam, this isn't a time to take a nap, motherfucker. The Galtean's are about to be obliterated, and I am losing my voice screaming at them." A kindling of red flame dances off her fingertips, matched with a cocky smile and a reflection of red on blue. A bit of a glare toward the prince of a castle she was about to blow the fuck up, best stay out of her way.

*Genderbend mirror reflection go*

Edited February 16, 2022 by Celeste

[Freya 0]

Watching some of those good men fall, Freya decides to rush into the battle before them. Sam was collecting the stragglers from what she could tell and she would be no help on that airship. Freyja stays to fight, slicing clean through the enemies that they face. Data splats in every direction with each connection made. Doing her best to have every angle in her view but there was just to many of them. 

Taking a deep breath, Freyja concentrated on the absolute danger. Scanning the area for any refugee's that were in immediate danger. It was a start, knowing damn well that she would not be able to take them all. That was the thing, no one was alone here. Firm Anima at there best, this was the battle of a life time. It would either end and they lost, or end and they all go home to see another day. Freyja had someone that she needed to get back too. Making a promise that she would really like to not break. Pulling her scythe from a blade, reversing her attack and striking them down from the side. Freyja has come a very long way, nothing would stop her from getting home. 

That scythe bleeds black mist as it continues to carve into any attacker it could. Suddenly, from behind her, a clash between a shield and sword against metal. Hearing those sparks she turns to see her sister. 

Freya | HP: 874/874 | EN: 87/114 | DMG: 32 | MIT: 20 | EVA: 5 | ACC: 7 (inc. AA) | BH: 48 (SURV) | LD: 5 (+1 Loot) | BLD: 48 | PHASE | V.O.: 96 | DRG.JEWEL

Spoiler

Freya,
Level: 32
Paragon Level: 49
HP: 820/820
EN: 120/120

Stats:
Damage: 23
Mitigation: 20
Evasion: 3
Accuracy: 4
Battle Healing: 45
Loot Dice: 6
AA
BLD: 48
PHASE
REC: 4
V.O.: 90

Equipped Gear:
Weapon: Final Calamity - Remorse (T4/Demonic/2HBA): Absolute Accuracy, Vampiric Offensive 1, Bleed 1, Phase
Armor: Dark Embrace - Sacrifice (T4/Perfect/Light Armor): Evasion 2, Recovery 1
Misc: Ebon Band - Truth (Tierless/Perfect/Trinket): Accuracy 3

Skills:
Axe R5
Cloth Armor R5
Charge
Energist
Searching R5
Battle Healing R5

Active Mods:
Athletics
Tracking
Night Vision

Addons:
Nimble
Stamina
Precision
Ferocity

Active Extra Skills:
Concentration
Survival

Battle Ready Inventory:
Teleport Crystal x1
Crystal of Divine Light [201986b] x1

Housing Buffs:
Filling: Increase the effectiveness of a single food item consumed in a thread by +1 T1 slot.
Delicious: Turn 3 identical food items (same quality, tier, & enhancements) into a Feast. A Feast contains 6 portions of the food items sacrificed.
Advanced Training: +10% Exp to a thread. Limit one use per month [1/1]

Guild Hall Buffs:
Lucrative: Reduce LD needed for Salvage by 5 (10+ for Alchemist crystals, 6+ for everything else). +2 EXP per craft. Rank 9 crafters receive +1 crafting attempt per day. Rank 10 crafters receive +2 crafting attempts per day.
Col Deposit: +5% bonus col from last-hit monster kills and +10% bonus col from treasure chests.

Edited February 16, 2022 by Freya

[Eruda 0]

Every man and woman have a soul. Human, player, and NPC's alike. It is what they do with that soul that matters. 

Watching this war unfold before her very eyes, this was what Fate herself is trying to prevent. It pains her to know that she could not save everyone, but she had to try. Eruda still did not trust the man that led them here but she wouldn't let his people suffer for his mistakes. This view burned inside of her, even though they were just NPC's, Raidou was right. It was real for them and that was enough for Eruda. 

Seeing some of the other's run off right into the battle field, she would keep close watch on them for a moment. Simply to make sure that they got through all right. Seeing Sam pick up a fallen man, assuming that he was still alive seeing that he had yet to burst into nothing. Eruda believed in her team, knew that they would have the heads to do the right thing even if they didn't all agree. 

The next thing she sees is Raidou fighting tooth and against their threat. Seeing him be surround, Eruda get ready to move forward. In that same instance, she hears that static charging and then a wave of those monsters are sent flying in every direction. He kept swinging that as a defensive pose with every attacker that came his way.

Her eyes scan the floor as cries of pain and sorrow are loud within her ear drums. Getting a glimpse of her twin, protecting each group of Galtean soldiers she could. An eye would catch one of those monsters coming up behind Freya. Eruda stood still for only a moment to see if Freya would turn, but she didn't... Running as fast as she could toward her, quickly sliding between Freya and that raised sword that was about to make Freya a pancake. Slamming down against Eruda's shield instead as a outburst of blue fire spreads around the area. Pure fear in that mans eyes as he is pushed back against that weight. Freya would turn as the large brute thing would stumble back. Right them that scythe would cut the body clean in half.

It was clear what had to be done, Firm Anima and the front line team would make that happen...

Eruda | HP: 984/984 | EN: 94/94 | DMG: 1 | MIT: 334 (incl. FL Aura 2) | ACC: 2 (Focus) | BH: 53 (SURV) | BRN: 56 | BRN IMMUNE | THRNS: 136 (FL Thrn Crit 16/2) | Antidote: [2/3]

Spoiler

Eruda, The Blazing Lily
Level: 32
Paragon Level: 49
HP: 880/880
EN: 100/100

Stats:
Damage: 8
Mitigation: 179
Battle Healing: 48
Loot Dice: 2
BRN: 56
BRN IMMUNE
FL. AURA: 16
FL. THRN: 8
REC: 8
TAUNT
THRNS: 72

Equipped Gear:
Weapon: Consuming Pyre - Surt T4: (Burn 2, Taunt)
Armor: Reinforced Plate - Lily T4 Demonic: Flame Aura 2, Flameproof, Recovery 1
Misc: Stalwart Defender T4 Demonic: (Thorns 2, Recovery 1, Flame Thorns 1)

Skills:
Curved Sword R5
Heavy Armor R5
Battle Healing R5
Fighting Spirit
Howl
Searching R2

Inactive Mods:
Night Vision

Addons:
Iron Skin
Focus
Rampart
Stamina

Active Extra Skills:
Block R5
Concentration
Survival

Housing Buffs:
Delicious: Turn 3 identical food items (same quality, tier, & enhancements) into a Feast. A Feast contains 6 portions of the food items sacrificed.

Guild Hall Buffs:
Lucrative: Reduce LD needed for Salvage by 5 (10+ for Alchemist crystals, 6+ for everything else). +2 EXP per craft. Rank 9 crafters receive +1 crafting attempt per day. Rank 10 crafters receive +2 crafting attempts per day.
Col Deposit: +5% bonus col from last-hit monster kills and +10% bonus col from treasure chests.

[Jomei 0]

  

Jomei the emerald duelist Spoiler Level: 32 | Paragon: 56 | Tier: 4 | HP: 860| EN: 124 Jomei: 860/860 HP | 124/124 EN | DMG 23 | MIT 44 | EVA 3 | ACC 4 | BH 48 | HLY BLS 18 | BLD 48 | FLN 8 | AA | LD 1 | F.Sprt. Equipment Nihilim's Wrath : Abs Acc | Bleed | Fallen Vestige of St.Patrick: Holy B| Mit | EVA | EVA Alatreon's Will: ACC | ACC | ACC Rending Familiar: Adere Skills Saber R5 | TECH Spec. Combat Mastery DMG R3 Cloth Armor R5 Charge B Healing R5 Energist Fighting Spirit MA R2 Extra: Concentration Survival (x) Meditation (x) Parry Forgotten King's Authority Photosynthesize (x) Brawler (x) Hiding R.3 Mods Athletics (x) Addons Stamina (x) Ferocity (x) Precision (x) Nimble (x) Housing Buffs:  Bedroom: -1 energy cost for the first two expenditures of each combat     Bathroom: The first time you would suffer DoT damage in a thread, reduce damage taken from DoT each turn by 20% (rounded down)     Dining Room: Turn 2 identical food items (same quality, tier, & enhancements) into a Lesser Feast. Living Room: Increases out of combat HP regen by (5 * Tier HP) and decreases full energy regen to 2 Out of Combat Posts.

 

A simple message sent to the players, a promise for adventure and mystery awaited them as they were to journey to Floor Twenty Six.. the city of Landonia.. to explore a tower --normally unfit for players to enter-- as riots and threats of full on revolution kept the militants of the city distracted.

Who would have thought that a small handful of players diverting from the course could incite a full blown civil war. At least, that's how it seemed to him.. The constantly moving and chanting masses did not seem prepped for war. Simple refugees hoping for a better life under the Imperial rule of Razwell. Unless previously scripted, their actions seemed to ignite that spark within them to change the narrative.

Jomei signed on for that adventure, but not to indulge himself in war games. 

Within the shadow of his cloak's hood pulled over his head, green eyes frantically scanned the streets of Ladonia, laid to waste as the riots turned to bloody battles, with even more airships taking to the skies. The innocents who simply wished to not be treated as lesser people, either dead or being persecuted by the Landonian military. A breathy snarl slowly made its way out of parted lips behind the tall collar of his coat. Who would he be to let innocents perish under the armored boot of a cowardly Razwell, who began to prime a weapon directed at their own kingdom. To clean the slate of a broken society they were to blame for. 

Without warning, Jomei felt a hand clasp around his wrist, pulling him towards one of the landed airships. The blonde haired woman from before took action, grabbing him and another man. The moment she had found herself distracted with Vigilon, Jomei jolted his wrist free. Stepping past her, he vaulted his way onto the deck of the airship. "Alright, if we're going to do this.. then lets get on with it. I'd rather not be on the receiving end of that thing." He pointed up towards the glowing light of the Scather attached to Razwell's warship. 

@Krysta

[Hirru 0]

Hirru couldn't believe what he had just seen.  There was far too much to take in, but as people were filing into ships, the healer had to process what exactly had happened.

Right after healing the player named Vigilon, they approached another group of players.  It seemed that the boss fight had also enacted an event for players that were not from the front lines.  This meant that some of them knew what was going on outside, while there were some that had other information.  Vigilon was a partial help in this, as he talked about something where they had to jump to some point.

"You'll have to tell me more about what happened then."

Vigilon stood up fairly easily and responded back to the healer.  Hirru sighed before running back to the rest of the group.

"If you can't stay out of the fray, then stay behind someone with a shield."

The information that he could gather would be a bit better from the exchange that the hunter overheard, between the royal looking individual that seemed to be the NPC lead for the outside group, and the floor boss, Gabrandr.  For some reason, the healer did not like what he overheard: the royal one seemed to call the boss out in a rough way, especially in front of his own people.  This got under the hunter's skin.  Although Gabrandr was the floor boss, and didn't deserve this, Hirru didn't choose spare for no reason, or.. did he?  That last exchange was off, but he didn't have time to dwell on who those people were.  He would have to look into it later.  What he wanted to look into, was the stone that Gabrandr exposed through his talk to the 3rd prince to the empire.

Though, that would have to wait, as the Galteans all began to panic, as the area around them turned red hot, as Gabby espoused that the Scather was primed and firing.  All hope was lost, it seemed, but the fallen boss had one last trick in mind.  A shield erected around everyone, just like Hirru's barrier, but much more powerful, it seemed.  The bright light of the Scather would block out any more sight as Hirru covered his eyes from being blinded once more.

When the light faded, the healer could not see where Gabby went, but the prince seemed to, as he and a few other ran to where he supposedly dropped.  He was tempted to follow and make sure that the prince wasn't doing something he shouldn't.  That stone probably had the powers that Gabrandr had, so it would be a danger to use it at all with the Scather possibly charging up again.

Back to Hirru's current dilemma.  He was invited by Vig to help him take care of one of the transport ships and infiltrate one of the bigger ones.  It didn't seem to work in Hirru's mind.  These things had little to no armor, with no armaments.  It would simply be a suicide mission.  It seemed like a few had already made it as such, as two of the transport ships, lead by Koga and another had already rammed into two of the vanguard ships.  He didn't want to have to do that.  They seemed to use barriers, but that only helps so much.  If the damage cause them to go into the red, their fights with the crews of those ships would be dire situations, if they survive at all.

His thoughts went back to Gabrandr, and he was about to run after the prince, when Simmone and Shiina from Firm Anima ran that way instead.  Hirru sighed with relief, as two healers should be enough to keep him up, even if that stone was used or not.  That just meant that Hirru would have to figure something out.  Vigilon's ship was already nearly full.  It seemed like the size could only hold a full party, and it was already carrying three.  That meant only three more could follow suit.

He would look back to Freyd, Baldur, Shield, and Calrex.

"We should hurry!  What do you think we should do?  I don't know anything about these things."

He would say while deciding to follow whatever any of them decide to do.  This was now out of Hirru's expertise.

@Freyd @Baldur @Shield @Calrex

Edited February 16, 2022 by Hirru

[Blueberry 0]

The sounds of metal clinking would only become louder until it came to a halt. Five Ladonian soldiers stepped forward, drawing blades of steel. A loud muffled voice was heard as they shouted from their helmets. "Halt! Surrender and we will make it quick!" Of course, the Galtean rebels didn't take to kindly. Drawing their own weapons, the rebels would retaliate. Clangs rang through the air as sword met sword. 

For a moment, Blue's eyes traveled to the tear in the metal wall that they had broken into. What would she do? Regardless, someone was going to get hurt. The baker had entered a place where no pacifist should tread. The battlefield. 

A frying pan was drawn from her back and the click of a button would see the handle extended. "I'm sorry but it seems I have to sacrifice one friendship for the sake of another." For those who knew Blue, her sudden ability would come as a surprise. The girl would move at an alarming sudden speed thanks to her combat mastery. A leap over the heads of those around her and the twirl in the air would give blue the momentum to slam the man right into the helmet of a soldier. Thanks to her actions, the protective headwear would fly off to the side and the guard would take a singular point of damage. "Ha! A frying pa-!" Suddenly, a small blue spike would shoot out and inject into the man's form. Clasping his neck as if a mosquito started to bite him, he would begin to cough uncontrollably before hitting the deck and becoming unable to move.

Waving down at the man, Blue would call down to him, "Sorry!"  

[Oji 0]

Oji was unsure of what to do in this situation. A lot had happened at once, and if he was honest with himself it was a bit disorienting. Explosions, giant airships, and a lot more people than before. He was ready to try and back out, but before he could even attempt to escape, he was grabbed by a blonde-haired woman, along with another man and dragged to one of the smaller crafts. This was a tad strange for him, as he was used to this being the other way around.

Not that he was complaining, but still, a tad strange.

As she brought them to the craft, he stepped on as he knew that there was no escape to this, and they spoke about trying to board and control one of the aircrafts, and he pulled out the book he still had from earlier in the day. "I know how to steer them, so get me to the controls and any airship could be ours." He spoke, trying to sound like he knew what he was doing, but in all honesty he was drawing a blank. He had read the entire book as they had been going through past activities, in case they needed to fly for a getaway. However, it never ended up being that until now. So, he had to quickly revisit the book to make sure the controls and information was fresh in his mind.

@Krysta @Jomei @Vigilon

[Hidden 1]

Why had she allowed herself to be dragged into more of a mess than what they had started? One moment she was fighting a floor boss and the next she stood underneath a raging war that she had nothing to do with. Violet eyes looked on as Shiina and Simmone moved forward to tend to the Floor Boss they had just saved. What was Shiina planning to do with this guy?

The outcast's gaze turned to Simmone. The woman's words still rang fresh in her ears even though Hidden knew that they were truly never spoken. "Make this happiness your own, through the trials that you must face. Make it real. Don't look back." Was she doing that now? Was she working on it? A flash of color would gather her attention to Shiina and Hidden would take a step back. One thing that had certainly not changed since the Waterfall was the innate fear of whatever the small girl was doing. 

A song would shake the ground and vibrate through the air. Pain. The girl in the dark cloak didn't enjoy it one bit. Her eyes caught a flash of steel as two small enemy airships would arrive next to them and begin lowering the ground. "Guess that makes sense, we're standing next to the 'enemy' king," Hidden would mutter to herself. Hidden would eye those around her. Shiina and Simmone weren't too much of 'fighters' were they? She wouldn't even think to rely on the NPC, and the redhead was unknown entirely. 

'Come on, you just gonna stand there? Do the thing.' A roll of her eyes as her pride began to persuade her actions. "Yeah yeah," she would mutter before wading through the small group. The airships would land and about forty soldiers would pile out from within them. Hidden would move to stand in between the two groups and pull her hood over her head. The cloak would ripple with the vibrations in the air and its fabric would appear to be a tear in their vision as the item refused to reflect light. 

"Finish off the king and any who stand in the way of it!" A leader shouted amongst his group of people. Shouting in unison, the soldiers would charge forward.

Suddenly, the assassin no longer stood in front of the oncoming threat but instead would appear moments later off to the side. A blade of amethyst ripped through the crowd tearing metal from flesh as five black hands stemmed from her figure and seemed to grab and tear at the shadows the soldiers cast off. 

[Alkor 0]

Ladonian and Galtean clashed in destined conflict. The shrill sounds of metal clashing screamed through the bowels of the airship as Alkor hurried forward, squeezing past tight quarters swordplay toward the corridor that led to the upper deck. Another solider whipped through the door and thrust at top speed. Alkor batted the attack deftly aside and hurriedly shuffled to one side, which sent the soldier sprawling behind him.

They had no time to engage in a melee, let alone try to hold the breached lower deck of an airship against an indeterminate number of enemies. If they wanted to put any kind of dent in the movement of the fleet, they had to wrest control of the airship from its crew.

"Restrain those who you can," Alkor called to the girl, "but focus on pushing forward!"

His voice was strained over the sounds of combat, but he had hope that it would reach @Blueberry, the girl he did not know but who had chosen to play attaché to his boarding party. "I'm going ahead, if all goes well, regroup with me at the-"

He had no time to finish the thought, as a wild looking blade hooked through the doorframe and nearly took his head off. Alkor immediately identified the greatsword for what it was, though he had hardly expected to see heavy infantry here. The assailant was armored in Obsidian black, armor polished to a reflective shine. "Elite!" one of the rebels from the boarding contingent screamed. 

"Elite!" Another screamed. The alarm system raised the hairs of every Galtean aboard, and they pressed their attack to find whatever hasty advantage they could. "If there's elites, we need to -- shit."

The sound of chains rattled across the deck, whipping and dragging as they kept time with slow, steady footfalls. Another heavily armored knight, this one armed with a massive spiked flail and lengthy chain, ambled out from a different corridor.

The pilot glanced to his countrymen and grimaced, one after another, before he turned his gaze to Blueberry finally. "Beg pardon lass, but it was all we could do to get you aboard. We can hold the Elites here, best case scenario, just long enough..."

He didn't finish those words. Instead, he took a breath. "...what I mean to say is, you have a much more important job. Please, let us handle this."

Crack.

Alkor spun beneath the massive blade, still wedged into the wall. The armored attacker was slow, but the power behind his strikes was nothing short of immense. If he met this man head on and engaged in prolonged combat, it would only waste precious time. 

Creaaaaak.

He could hear the blade dragging free, slowly. He had to make the decision now. Alkor slid to his feet on the opposite side of the Elite Knight, scrambling toward the staircase. The hulking mass grunted and growled in annoyance, but continued to work at his weapon. Alkor seized the opportunity to rush above deck, head first into a small cadre of Ladonian infantry who were just about to join their friends below deck.

Alkor huffed as he slammed shoulder first into the closest of them. The man was young, not much older than Alkor himself. The effort drove him off his feet and robbed him of the air in his lungs, and it managed to send his fellows into a state of shock and panic. With a deft turn of his body, Alkor kicked the Knight square in the gut and sent him over the railing, screaming. "You guys are in the way."

His blade was in hand before he completed the spin, and he drove the wicked blade Witchfang into one of the others who had thought to seize the opening. The blade erupted from the other side of the man, gasping and gurgling as the blight spread through his body rampant. He seized and went limp, bleeding from the festering wound. Alkor stepped over him and glanced around quickly.

He had to make it to the bridge, and there were more of them closing in to bar his path.

Edited February 18, 2022 by Alkor

[Freyd 0]

“Keep an eye on him, m’kay?”  Freyd asked of @Hirru.  “We met the same way back on floor 8.  Plummeting may be habit-forming, at least for him.”  Freyd offered only a wry grin by way of further explanation. Too much was happening all at once to dwell on it, and Hirru was a fine healer.  He only half-heard @Vigilon’s complaints about whoever or whatever caused his fall in the first place.

“Yeah, umm…  file a complaint with Cardinal if we all survive this, Vig.  In the meantime, get your skinny ass off the ground and follow Hirru’s lead.”  Sparing a moment, he points at the fleet of swarming angry airships overhead, bristling with myriad arsenals all prepped and ready to rain down serious discomfort.  

“FYI: Bad guys.” He explained, before pointing at the mixed gaggle of Galteans, Ladonian rebels and… pirates?

“Slightly less-bad guys,” he offered, albeit with a shrug of reservation.  “We’re siding with the latter, I think.”

Gabrandr started calling the shots, which only irked the Whisper’s pre-irked sensibilities.  Wasn’t this guy defeated and on the brink just minutes ago, and now he thought he was in charge?

“Yeah.  Regroup.  Smart.”  He hollered back.  “It’ll be very considerate of us to congregate all in one spot for when this supposed ‘true scather’ thingy goes off.”  Rolling his eyes, Freyd barely caught sight of Vigilon dashing towards a nearby wreck that looked like something that should be hovering around Jabba’s sail barge.

"Both of you, with me, we're going to capture one of the enemy's airships!"

“That’s the spirit, tiger!”  He called back, half-heartedly.  “You go get’em.” 

Freyd was honestly more focused on the sheer variety and number of forces that had oozed out of the woodwork to swell the streets with numbers that might have given Les Miserables a shot at a happy ending.

Turning to Hirru, @Baldur and @Calrex, he urges them to do their best to keep the others alive.  

“I’m better suited to taking the side door.  You guys do your thing.  I’ll do mine.  We’ll meet in the middle.”  A quick two-finger salute and Freyd was off in a separate direction.

“What kind of moron emperor lets this many armed enemies get into his backyard?”  Exasperation tumbled out with the words even as his gaze settled on Gabrandr and Lamont’s little parley.  A horde of irregulars having been cobbled together from who-knows-where had all clustered around for a gander at Gabrandr.

“Ever wonder if we’re really the extras in this whole shindig?”  The stunned NPC at his side, only blinked. It was doubtful he’d even understood, and Freyd just waved him off.

As Gabrandr donned shiny new armor and floated up to do his superhero thing, he, again, couldn’t help but mutter under his breath.

“What’s that?  Oh, so now you want to spread out?  Make up your-”

Blinding light filled everyone’s field of view.  All sound vanished as Freyd half-expected the ‘game over’ sign to pop up as his screen went dark.

*Groan*

By the time his senses returned, the surrounding sky swarmed with the chaos of uncoordinated players each leading their own personal charge.  Maybe the game would grant them some form of ludicrous plot armor for bravery, but this sort of mayhem was the type that usually led to catastrophe.  It’s not like they would have listened to anyone anyway, though he suspected that Baldur would be out there somewhere trying to do just that.

“Yeah, that’s it Gabby.  Keep them busy.”  An instant later, the shield was collapsing and scorching spears of azure lighting were raining down as dumbass fell for the second time this hour.  

*Sigh*

“Alright,” Freyd grumbled.  “Guess it’s time to commit.”

A quick snatch grabbed one Gabrandr’s manifested spears before it winked out of existence, binding it with the seals from Samael’s Pride to prevent the thing from vanishing. Pocket nuke obtained, but the thing nearly tried to melt his hands off in the process.  

“Oww, goddamn it!  Why is everything trying to eat my hands this week?!”

Familiar faces clanged into his periphery, accompanied by the sudden smell of ozone and burning chest hair.  

"@Simmone!  Stop fondling that man and rooting through his pockets!” He cried.  “I need a location suitably sized for a squad, somewhere on that ridiculous, floating act of compensation.”  A quick skyward jab with the borrowed polearm points at Razwell’s flagship.  

A smaller vessel blazed with streaks of crimson directly overhead

“Wait… was that.  @Celeste?!”  His free hand palmed his cowl in disbelief, instantly dispelled because ‘yes she would.’

Others from his guild were already gathering around and forming ranks to hold the line around the king.

"@Raidou.  Keep that psychotic pudding of yours under control and Razwell’s eyes focused here.  Uh… tell him that joke you know!”  What he really wanted was Raidou near Gabrandr and Lamont for when this temporary alliance inevitably went south. Plans within plans within plans, as a favorite author had once written.

"@Eruda.  If he even thinks of sacrificing his ass, French kiss the hell out of him to prevent it. Got it?”  A quick look to Freya was all he needed to know that she would do whatever was required.  As would he.

A screen popped up on his HUD.  Coordinates from Simmone.  Always reliable.  Acknowledged by a quick tap, the sound of shattering crystal followed.

“Could have wrapped this up in the sewers, but nooooo.  Everyone had to get in their skyship fight montage.”  A sigh and a flash, and the Whisper had slipped through shadow in search of his foe, though he was never one to travel alone in the dark.
 
 

[Simmone 0]

Releasing Shiina's hand as the light would fade, Celeste holding him by the throat and the songstress continued to smile. The sudden reverberating voice of dear Takeshi, that damnable man that could worm his way easily under her skin. A slight sigh as she pivoted, turning to face the whisper. "I wasn't...yet." She smirks and reaches into her blouse, beneath the folds of leather, and removes a bottle in crystalline blue. Inside stirred a thick purple liquid. Popped cork, and she instills it.

A skill seems to trigger, and not for a short period. No, instead, whatever this potion she drank caused her eyes to remain lit up like headlights. Bright gold. "Space for a party? Let me see." Peering up, and her eyes seem to focus. Eyes locked on the Ifrit, as a chain cast of appraisal and detection skills fire off like a scan. "Got it." She offers the O&I captain not a moment later, digging into the confines of the dreadnought, finds a cargo bay that didn't have quite the number of guards it should.

Rushing over and pulling out a small sphere from her shop, that normally did nothing unless anchored. But as Freyd would share that grasp, he'd see what she saw. "Got it?" she nods with a coy smile. "Going to make a mess? Don't worry, dear, we will have this covered." Slinking the rapier out of its holster, she motions next to @Hidden "I suppose we have quite a bit to talk about don't we? Guess we can do it while taking out the trash." A violet colored rapier matches the blade of an elite. A snap of her fingers, and this strange chain like coil latches to the white haired woman. "My bet is on you, go wild."

Edited February 18, 2022 by Simmone

[Raidou 1]

Waves and waves of troops began to pour in to surround him, as ships began to paratroop down hostiles. This isn't good, my focus needs to be on that ship. The thought races through his head, as slowly diminishing health bars charged through his miasma. Holding his ground until that final moment, that was all he could do. Marching footsteps one after another parade against his eardrums, finding him almost deaf in his intense composure. They'd close in one after another, watching on past shoulders as the battle raged on. The count was easily within the triple digits. His guild had their hands full, Freyd had already made his move toward the main problem. He'd have to hold out, His choice was made.

A slight exhale, accepting what was to be.

The sudden sound of a metallic sheer, a deep blue line forming across his vision for only a moment. The wanderer falters, looking for the culprit. Stepping out of the shadows, a bit of a reluctant avoidance of his eyes. "I know, I know." The girl slinks her shoulders. "I took my potion already, ok. I can't really just let you die now, can I?" Somehow, someway the girl had been made aware, and despite her obvious reluctance given the look on her face. She came.

A column of black echoes out from his right arm, like a wooded lance. Dancing down the length of living cables and cords, The blue bolt @Ruri had entered the fray. Bisecting the target and following it as it moved.

[Eruda 0]

Sweat dripping down the side of her head, each breath sharp upon inhale. Was this ever going to end, they just kept coming around every corner. A glance to Freya, she was in the same position, every angle was full of the soldiers. Quickly pulling her shield up as she finds a sword come right at her, she stumbles backwards. This was not good, screaming in the distance from nearly every direction. Eruda was doing what she could, but there was just to many of them. They were even beginning to surround Raidou... Slightly hearing what Freyd said, she was not going to let Raidou die today. It was not his time yet, not here. Bashing one of the men in the face and carving another with her blade. It was becoming too much for just her... Her eyes move in every direction, trying to keep an close watch on everyone. More follow that same trail toward her, her breathing was heavy. 

Suddenly the ground starts to shake, Eruda looks up thinking that it was another Scather fire attempt... Panic filled her eyes. This was going to hurt a little. Right then that orange fire could be seen in the distance. Griswold charges in and everyone that was around her flew in every which direction like bowling pins. "Elda your Shield," Eruda raised her shield in from of her as they stood there waiting for the right moment. She had not a clue what her father was going to do, but she would listen to him regardless. Griswold did just come in like a wrecking ball and save her ass after all. The men started to surround them now, that blue and orange fire light under the feet intertwining with one another. 

Full circle around them, right them Griswold looks to Eruda, "Hold your ground," Eruda would readjust her feet a bit to get ready for whatever was to come. It was clear that he was planning something she just didn't know what, and as that thought crossed her mind, a catastrophic shock could be felt down her arm and Griswold bashed that war hammer against that piece of metal. A large outburst of flame light everything in the surrounding area on fire, including those men that held a threat to Firm Anima and the others around them. A few run around yelling at the top of their lungs trying to put themselves out, others were just gone in the wind. A glancing of understanding before they continue this fight together. Like father, like daughter right... 

[Blueberry 0]

@Alkor's command would reach her but she wasn't sure what exactly it was supposed to mean. Holding her pan with both hands, the pink-haired player would take a step back. 'I might have completely missed what the goal of this was...'  Heavy footsteps fell into place as a man in dark obsidian armor took his shot towards her companion's head. Sudden alarm gathered in the throats of the Galtean rebels at her side. Elite? What made this guy different than the rest. 

"I am judge Stelan, servant to Ladonia and its laws. I will defend both nation and its people from you rebel scum." 

The heavily armored man would pull his weapon from the airship's metal wall just as another of his kind entered the room. This second 'judge' wielded a massive spiked ball and chain as his weapon. 'Just how strong are these dudes?' her thoughts were almost answered as the ball smashed through the ground in front of her. Jolting into action, the girl would back up as she tried to think of what action to take next. A pressure suddenly rested upon her back as she reared into the pilot.

"Beg pardon lass, but it was all we could do to get you aboard. We can hold the Elites here, best-case scenario, just long enough... what I mean to say is, you have a much more important job. Please, let us handle this."

Tears filled her eyes before beginning to stream down her face. They were going to die if she left, weren't they? They were willing to die for whatever cause they were pushing forward to, huh? The baker was left with one of two options: Fight or continue. 

Words echoed through her head, annoying as they were. "This is the choice we all make: to sit by and let others bleed, or be willing to stand up alongside them.  This is what it means to be a player in Kayaba's game, Blueberry.  This is what it means to be Firm Anima!"

"Shut the hell up, @Freyd," is what she would say next. Instead of her normal cheery sound, the girl's voice had taken a more heartless tone. Electric blue eyes scouted the area. The man had already left, all that remained were the two elites, the NPC's, and her. "Lass, you need to leave now!" Shooting the man a look she would venomously reply, "Don't tell me what to do, I'm trying to concentrate!" A burning at her neck would flare along with her words. Bringing her hand up to her neck, it would find where dark blue scales had seemed to have grown from her neck. Her hand would become stuck there for a moment before the burning feeling attached to her hand instead. 

"Go ahead Fraz." She would tell her familiar. Dropping her frying pan, she would charge in barehanded. The spiked flail would once again strike in her direction but wouldn't be able to find its mark. Berry would slam the flat of her palm onto the enemy's armor a blue sludge would suddenly emit from it. Covering the man's armor, the sludge would begin to seep into the chinks in his armor. After a moment of attempting to reel in his weapon, the man would find that he no longer could. His strength had been completely sapped. The sludge would begin to take a shape, a small blue slime rested on top of the man's armor. 

Judge Stelan would glue his eyes on the pink-haired player. "What did you do?" His voice was quivering. "Stand down or you are next," she would warn him. The slime would bounce from the armor to the floor right in front of the man. Metal would ring out as a blade was dropped. "Good choice," she would offer the warrior. She looked back to the Galteans. "Tie him up and make sure he doesn't move. After that, forget what you saw and tell no one. Okay?" Her voice would suddenly regain its cheery atmosphere. 

Moving up the stairs, she would push forward towards her companion.

[Vigilon 0]

At first, Vigilon thought he was stuck doing this alone...but as it turned out, luck was on his side this time. Krysta arrived, with two other players in tow. If two other players had came along as well, they would have had a full raid party on board....looks like a common party size of 4 would have to do for now, 'cause the players were running out of time. "The plan is to get this ship to one of those military airships up there. We're going to jump off and board when the time is right, then we fight our way through the enemy troops and capture the airship. Once that's done, we'll turn the airship around, and fight our way to the enemy's flagship, where the mastermind is probably lurking within..."

Vigilon intended to slay the mastermind, but he didn't mind a trusted ally or two assisting in the kill...he would have been fine with Krysta helping out to begin with, he only wanted the enemy's leader to get exactly what he deserves...death.

One of the two players Krysta had brought onto the airship claimed he could steer. "Perfect, we'd need to get to the ship in one piece anyway. Take the helm." He decided. The only NPC on the transport looked a bit surprised. "Are you sure about this, do you even know what you're doing??" The NPC asked. The look in Vigilon's eyes unchanging, he looked over to the NPC. "Yes." He answered. The NPC saw that he was serious. After standing around for about ten seconds, as if the system was trying to figure out a response for him, the NPC nodded slightly and stepped back for Oji to take the helm.

If Vigilon knew anything about physics, this was gonna be a rough ride. "Evasive maneuvers, avoid getting shot, no matter what. We get hit and we drop." He suggested, warning any who didn't guess the risks in the process. "Everyone, you might want to told on!"

 

@Krysta @Jomei @Oji

[Jomei 0]

Watching as the other three came aboard, Vigilon included, the hooded Jomei looked to the older gentleman who claimed he knew how to operate this large piece of flying machinery with hardened curiosity. "You sure you know how to fly this thing? I don't think I've ever seen one of these in Aincrad before." 

Technology and magic, for as far as they knew, was unexplored grounds in the world of Aincrad. Many residents of previous floors claimed magic didn't exist, especially given that they players could not cast spells as they might have been able to in other games. Technology was a whole different story, as Sword Art Online was based in a fantasy setting. Even their menu screens sometimes seemed out of place, despite how helpful a tool it was. But now, he was standing atop an armored airship with a magic laser canon pointed in their direction... Barely over a quarter through the tower and the world of Aincrad had changed as they knew it. 

Jomei let out a sigh, "Honestly, I don't think any of us could do much better.. so as long as we don't crash and burn, I'll trust you." he pat the man on the back before turning his body half way to face the other two on board. "Sounds like we'll be doing some midair pirating maneuvers, eh?" A hand reached out to the side, gripping onto one of the side rails. "Depending on how many guards are onboard the airship, I could cause a distraction and hold them off while the rest of you find the bridge and clear any of the pilots and engineers out." 

His gaze turned upwards to some of the other, smaller airships that had taken to the sky with other players already.. performing more direct maneuvers to take over their pick of warships. "Could also help to try a quieter approach.. if Razwell see's all of his warships were taken over, they might not think twice about turning that Scather on us." A twinge of guilt hit him, trying to throw out ideas for the group to follow. The failed leader he was, it might be best for him to keep quiet. "But you brought us up here, so I'll follow your lead." 

@Oji @Vigilon @Krysta

[Hidden 1]

Simmone's motion caught her attention and she would meet up with the woman shortly after. Hidden's breathing had started to get heavier but her words made it through to the woman just fine. "Talk about? I thought we had spoken plenty," Hidden answered with a coy smile. A figure covered head to toe in dark obsidian armor stepped forward, a heavy two-handed sword would become blocked by a thin rapier. 

"My bet is on you, go wild."

A small chuckle would be heard from Hidden a moment before she vanished from sight. Amethyst cut through armor before exploding into light almost immediately after. The 'Elite' was dusted into nothing. "You sure you want to see wild?" The assassin would question before whisking out of sight. 

In the next moments, Simmone would witness the white-haired girl move in and out of sight, a shout of surprised pain with each time she appeared. Within a mere two minutes of their arrival, over half of the soldiers had been dispatched. 

[Shiina 0]

Celeste seemed to have @Gabrandr man handled, if he'd come to, then they could sort that crap out. With a smile, Shiina raises, hair still twisted by the acknowledgement of some skill. "It's SHOWTIME!" The girl bellows with a point toward the sky, another pulse in a ring that casts shade over the top half of her face. A lime green color as the ground tremors, forming symbols beneath her feet. It distorts before twisting into place was another set in red, and from her sleeve rolling into her palm a small crystal. Slamming it against her head like a beer can shows it shatter like glass.

An electronic buzzing pulse, echoes out from the girl. A multitude of weapons begin to shine brightly, those of the rebellion's very peasants made warriors. A murmur in her ears, further confirming her intentions and a sense of pride in them. "I am eager to see what will happen, that voice continues to gain volume." Detached as it rings in her head. A snicker, as both hands raise and link to weapons. Offering them strength beyond what they would naturally hold. "TIME TO PARTY! Battlefield Overture!" The girl shrieks, and in an instant that symbol grows exponentially wider.

The outcries of Galtea create a valiant decree of retribution, a chorus against tyranny and the potential fall of a nation.

Shiina casts Press the Attack on the Galtean People!

Edited February 19, 2022 by Shiina