[center][color=yellow][h3]Mad World[/h3][/color]
[@liferusher][@zarkun][@lazo][@kapuchu][/center]

The sudden and ferocious barrage of Wrath battered his biomechanical adversary in its moment of vulnerability.  While the creature did not physically retreat owing to its greater size and weight, the Nephilim’s all-out assault put it on edge, and in a critical instant he struck past its armor to gouge streaks of agony into its rubbery flesh.  This time, the beast leaped backward, releasing an eerie, metallic howl that echoed off the rock faces.  In that moment it discovered that both of its companions had bitten the dust and without a second’s hesitation turned tail and disappeared over an open side of the platform, as if a switch had been pulled.  Some sort of processor within the beast’s mind might have as well weighed the odds, found them untenable, and forced it to retreat.

In the silence that followed, Souta scoffed noisily at Fenn.  [color=teal]”What, can’t take a few bruises?  You keep doing the slaying and I’ll keep doing the thinking.  Check this out.”[/color]  From between the claws of his bladed gauntlet, Souta produced a bizarre-looking device.  It looked like nothing made by factories on earth—it was too perfect.  If anything, it resembled an organ cast from silver, though within the mechanism lay a tightly-wound coil alight with blue energy.  [color=teal]”While you were keeping it busy, I got under its skin and tore this thing out.”[/color]  As proud as he was, Souta didn’t bother explaining further to the others, which they would no doubt view as a waste of time.  If they needed further verification of his usefulness, he’d be happy enough to tell that this machine had been pulled from the base of one of the beast’s horns and was no doubt integral to whatever process allowed the creatures to absorb and then reproduce elemental energy.  Without some sort of core or diffuser to spread the energy throughout a system, it would definitely not be able to replicate the monsters’ elemental conversion, but for now it would serve as a sort of capture-and-release tank.  Instead of mentioning this, Souta laid his eyes on Lily as she began to line up her shot.
Even on a straightaway, the erratically bobbing and speedy figure of the mounted observer would make for a difficult shot.  The winding suspended path, combined with unknown atmospheric conditions, as well as the motion prediction made necessary by the target’s distance, turned the feat practically impossible even for one as talented and calculating as the demon.  Her brutal arrow cannoned into the path instead, easily destroying a section of it measuring about forty feet long.  This did not, unfortunately, include the footing of the escapee, but it did cause the entire path to sway slightly despite the sturdiness of its anchoring.

[color=50C878]”Well, that was a fun little kerfuffle.  Shame it got away.  Uhelei, tell them what you told me.”[/color]  Panoptos crossed his arms like a parent waiting for his child to apologize for some offense.

With eyes still glaring despite the rigidity of his mask, the reluctant local began to speak.  When he formed words, sparks of light the same color as his eyes erupted behind the grate in his mask where his mouth might be, much like a saw cutting into metal.  The voice that poured from him sounded just about as pleasant.  “A man of the tribes.  Sentry.  The Vuirukeinee were his.  He will warn the others; they will fortify the villages.  We can find other routes.”  

[color=50C878]”Ah, ah, ah.”[/color]  Chidingly, Panoptos waggled his finger.  [color=50C878]”My special senses are tingling, and they’re telling me that there are beasties in this place that put those metal dogs to shame.  True monsters, not half-machine critters tamed by half-machine savages.  Maybe our pals here would rather take the easy route and rough up a few villagers rather than play with the Undersky’s local abominations.”[/color]  His gaze regarded the group curiously, flitting between Souta, Fenn, Wrath, Lily, and Midori.  Those miniature stars of emerald hue regarded the half-demon critically.  [color=50C878]”Oh…I’d nearly forgotten about you, little one.  I just love the way you’ve been standing there like a rock the whole time.  Well, if you don’t put yourself to use soon, I guess we could use you to see if the Undersky’s as endless as it looks.”[/color]  Cheerily Panoptos looked around again.  [color=50C878]”Anyway!  What do the lot of you say?  Tribesmen or terrors?  Oh, and I recommend you choose quickly.”[/color]  He shrugged, moving so as to reveal the now-inert game through which the group had recently arrived.  [color=50C878]”You might notice that the gate is looking a lot less sealed than the one back in the Citadel.  Wouldn’t surprise me one bit if the Hierarchy, the demons, or both figure out how to get through before long.”[/color]  He shook slightly in suppressed laughter.  [color=50C878]”Party’s no fun if everyone’s invited.  Take your pick!”[/color]

Aware of the egos at play here, Souta remained silent.  While he would have preferred to leave this place’s civilization alone, he did not think his opinion mattered enough to risk causing infighting in this team.