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[H3]Midgar[/h3][u]Deep Ground ~ The Guardian[/u]

[b]Word Count:[/b] 954
[b]Level 7 Roxas:[/b] 55/70
[b]Exp:[/b] 4
[b]NEW EXP Balance---[/b] 59/70[/center]

For a moment it was finally over. The Consul was down for the count and disappeared. And the Seekers would finally be able to focus on the Guardian next. The healing from Sandalphon was definitely welcome, nearly topping him off. He would have offered some healing to others as well, but couldn't. The attack he used with Pit cost him the rest of his MP. And now it had to recharge before he could cast any more spells.

All that healing of course topped him off and Roxas was able to reinsert the ejected medal back into its slot on his helmet. His Medabot weapons reactivated and could be used once again. But this moment of reprieve, however small, was in for a nasty interruption. The other Consul, from the debate, showed up out of nowhere. And he didn’t show up alone. Roxas didn’t recognize all the people that Chaos had brought with him. Just Karen Travers, and-

[color=Gold]”Sam!?”[/color] he shouted, [color=Gold]”Why?”[/color] he then demanded. Out of the four, Sam was the only one who wasn’t gleaming. He, out of all of them, should have known what was really happening. So then what was he doing on their side? Sakura was equally confused and had some things of her own to say. Only after that did Sam look to Roxas.

“Sorry, kid.” he offered with a shrug, “But when someone offers you a chance to literally start over with a clean slate? Well… it’s kind of hard to say ‘no’ to that.”

[color=Gold]”But you know what’s actually behind all this!”[/color] Roxas pleaded, [color=Gold]”And do you really think the guy who brought you here isn’t just using you?”[/color]

“Eh, you get used to it.”

And that was all the time there was for any conversations. It looked like Goldlewis was the one itching to get things over with. He rushed out to face off against the mummy man, and… [color=Gold]”What? No - no way!”[/color] It made him pause, standing there like an idiot for what was probably the longest moment of his entire life. But as the fighting erupted around him, Roxas willed himself to get his head back in the game. His first instinct was to settle the score with Sam. He looked around for him only to hear Geralt’s voice - reminding everyone what their actual target was supposed to be.

The Guardian! Right… that was the actual goal. The Keybearer whirled around and pointed his Keyblade forward, [color=Gold]”Freeze!”[/color] Thankfully, enough time had passed for his MP to recharge. The spell shot forward and left its usual rail of ice in its wake. A rail that Roxas instantly used his StepSword to dash onto and propel forward thanks to flow motion. Most of the flying Seekers were either busy with Healing or, in Geralt’s case, already engaged with an opponent. Roxas decided he needed to use that chaos to try and get to the Guardian.

When Tycoon sweeped it’s arm, it naturally disrupted and ultimately dispelled the Blizzaga rail that Roxas conjured. But Roxas himself had launched upward before he himself could suffer the massive hit. He charged up the RockGun and shot it right at Tycoon’s head while still in midair. That shot hit, but whatever damage it did seemed minimal from the looks of it. What it did do was turn the big Guardian’s attention away from Susie for a moment and onto Roxas. This was of course moments after it fired its laser attack that took Blazermate down.

It went for another swing of its massive arm, this aimed more or less squarely for Roxas. Despite still hanging in midair, the Nobody wasn’t completely helpless. He used his StepSword dash to launch himself on a downward arc that took him back to the ground more quickly and allowed him to safely pass underneath Tycoon’s attack. But Roxas didn’t stay on the ground for long. He became a streak of light that zig-zagged right to Tycoon’s face, where Roxas hit him with a powerful Cross Slash. He also added a short string of Keyblade strikes immediately after, but during this his gaze caught sight of Sandalphon being seemingly cut down by Sam.

[color=Gold]”Sandalphon!”[/color] Roxas cried out. But that was a massive mistake. The momentary distraction caused the Nobody to be swatted right out of the air by Tycoon. It was only a single hit, but that single hit was [i]hard[/i]. It sent Roxas flying back and slamming hard onto the floor of the platform. Roxas slowly and painfully tried to push himself to his feet. When he was at least part way up he weakly held up one of his Keyblades. No choice. He had to use Curaga.

[color=Gold]”He-”[/color] Roxas was cut off before he could finish commanding the spell. Something had slashed him across the back, cutting deep. The Medal in his helmet ejected and Roxas weakly turned around to see Sam with a sullen look on his face. Where had he come from? Did he ninja-run his way over here after his attack on Sandalphon to cut Roxas off from healing himself?

“...Sorry, kid.” Sam sheathed the Murasama only to let out another Iado slash across Roxas’ front torso. Those two deep cuts, combined with the crushing swat he had suffered from Tycoon? Roxas went down, his helmet even slipping from his head and bouncing forward a few feet from him. Crushed, broken, and bloodied. The Keybearer was down, and he wasn't getting back up. He wasn't thinking of anything now. Not the Seekers. Not the Guardian. No, the dying Nobody's thoughts were only on one thing.

[i][color=Gold]Xi... Xion... Ax...el...[/color][/i]