[h1][center][b][color=9e0039]Scáthach[/color][/b][/center][/h1] [h3][center]Einzbern Forest Outskirts, near Foreigners' Lowlands[/center][/h3] [center][@Undyingregret][@BlueHelix][/center] [hr] The lord of Spirits watched as the wicked flames sprung from Avenger's body, incinerating her explosive before it could finish its arc. [color=9e0039][b]"So [i]that's[/i] how it is."[/b][/color] Her voice carried across the distance between them, one queen speaking unfalteringly to another. [color=9e0039][b]"I was curious what motivated you to step into that blaze."[/b][/color] It was useful to learn her enemy's abilities, but these flames definitely posed a problem, as they made both melee and magecraft unfavourable options. [color=9e0039][b]"Perhaps you can make yourself useful and burn away that forest, Queen of Carthage.[/b][/color] She gestured over her shoulder to what had sprouted up in Miyama town behind her with her right hand, and cast two rune-stones into the air with her left. If her request for a forest fire was genuine, she wasn't letting up on her offensive to give Avenger time to consider it. Her concussive stone had been touched by the flames before the rune's effect had completed, but these stones only travelled a few dozen feet from Lancer before discharging. Twin bolts of radiant white electricity burst forth and crossed the remaining distance to Dido at the speed of, well, lightning. The bolts flew unerringly for her torso, but halfway there one abruptly changed course, banking left and flying into the forest before reemerging and making a beeline for Avenger's Master. [color=9e0039][b]"Not that I would expect you to have any drive to be helpful, considering your recent behaviour."[/b][/color] [hr] [h1][center][b][color=598527]Ground Platoons[/color] and [color=9e0b0f]Air Squadrons[/color][/b][/center][/h1] [h3][center]Forest of Einnashe[/center][/h3] [center][@Art of Fun][/center] [hr] After some experimentation on the part of the controller, costing less than a dozen worms, they began to move. Dead animals and vermin slunk through the murderous forest, consuming what they safely could. It was a strange phenomena, but it seemed they were safe from the trees' bloodlust as long as they remained sheltered inside these rancid bodies. A little careful maneuvering and it became possible to absorb healthy amounts of energy from these deadly flora. Around the outskirts, more animals moved, seemingly in perfect health. Some nibbled on the leaves, while others, having been granted "absorption" by the controller, walked straight through trees, gaining sizeable nourishment for doing so. Apparently merely splitting into groups of two or three bugs and transforming to look like natural wildlife was enough to placate the forest around the edges, although they had to keep moving outward to ensure that the forest's expansion did not leave them stranded too deeply within. That left the "big fish" at the centre of all this. Regardless of if the incredible bombardment had truly killed it, it still held the mana of this land for the time being. Animal corpses and winged bugs alike made for that place, where they would feed and breed and feed. It would not do to carelessly bunch up and be destroyed so deep into enemy territory, so it was a careful approach towards the protections arranged around the great tree. A horrible buzz from above, and silent creeping from below. [hr] [h3][center]Railyard Outskirts[/center][/h3] [center][@Paradox Witch][@floodtalon][/center] [hr] It was unreasonably fast, so getting ahold of its movements took some time and focus from the controller. Once she had a "feel" for it, though, that "feel" could be transferred to the units, at which point tracking this thing became automatic and close to foolproof across the entire network. This being complete, the bugs in the railyard began to move. [i]All[/i] the bugs in the railyard. Walls were constructed wherever possible. Air superiority was gained. An immediate engagement was joined. Whether or not the thing carrying the spear survived the lightning from the other group chasing it, it would immediately be beset by an entire caboose, which dissolved into a shifting dark green mass that slumped to one side to engulf it. Next was the "smoke screen" provided by winged insects against the other interested party. The bladeflies made to block the undead's vision to the spear-holder while also taking every opportunity to cut at their limbs and heads. Perhaps they would be shaken off quickly or fled from, but the entire area- No, the entire city was full of them. But this was not the time to waste units and energy chasing one as fast as that, or with firepower such as the draugr wielded, and so the [b]"Binding"[/b] began. Two or three for each undead, five for the one with the spear, insects the the area engaged the spells the controller had implanted into them. It was done without warning, as each one was no more than another bug in the swarm up to that point. Their movement would be robbed. Their contracts, if weak, would be severed. Those with strong contracts would nonetheless find it difficult to contact their controllers, as if switching from a strategy game to a transistor radio. They wasted no moment. The spear would be theirs.