[center][img]https://i.imgur.com/RtXc4l2.png[/img][/center][indent]The battle continued to rage through the remnants of the ancient city. The abominations spewed forth by the gargantuan monster still flooded the streets, attacking all that dared enter the ruins with ever-growing viciousness; their numbers seemingly endless.

A titanic bellow announced the monster's advance. Unimpeded by the forces fo the Triumvirate, it reached the city with ease. However, something caught his attention, something even more sinister than itself —the serpent-like being swimming close to the three-way battle between Bonesword, Saef, and Khaine— compelled the monster to see other prey closer to the city's center.

The oily darkness emanating from it would soon reach, Lucifus, Unit-T, Utada and Cydone's, each at their own turn, as the massive beast crawled towards the ancient palace. Any attempts to deter, or approach, it would be met with pure brutality from the hundred meters long menace. Nevertheless, once again, something golden shone within the black darkness. This time, however, the glint came straight from the monster.

One could only wonder its true meaning.

Meanwhile, in the depths of the abyss...

Cassiopeia would find that the glint she and Jubilee saw wasn't the Staff. In fact, it was a gold plaque bearing the symbols representing the twelve houses of the Zodiac as well as several constellations, many of which couldn't be gazed upon in the Nexus' skies as far as its current iteration was concerned.

Attempts to move the plaque would be... hard, to say the least, at first, thanks to the enormous pressure the water exerted on it.  If it were left alone, nothing special would happen. However, if either Cassiopeia, Jubilee, or both were determined to move it, they would find themselves being swept away by another current, this time toward a tunnel long since concealed, as well as kept airtight, by the plaque.

The tunnel, which once was a secret royal escape passage, led straight into the palace, possibly saving them a lot of time to get back to the city as well as granting an advantageous position, in case they attempted to ambush their enemies. That is if they managed to avoid getting smashed against the equally hard and sealed exit that ended right in the throne room of Lenuria.[/indent][hr]